Redemption
by DarthGladiator45
Summary: Lord Sidious is dead Lord Vader has returned democracy to the Republic, Luke has started to search for a new Jedi Temple. The spiritual healing has begun. This is a sequel to First Memory.
1. Chapter 1

Redemption

Lord Vader was meditating when he felt his youngest daughter enter his inner sanctum. He smiled at Anne's presence in the Force, though in the past her bright light would irritate his darkness; it was something that he now welcomed. Perhaps Luke had been right that there was still good in him. It was Anne's love and compassion that had made him turn from the dark side to the light. Though he doubted seriously that he would ever be a full Jedi again, he was too tainted to make a full transition. He had learned to use both sides of the Force and would not so easily turn again. Power was a heavy drug and dulled your senses and emotions and left you very alone in the galaxy. Anne gently wrapped her arms around her father's neck and kissed his cheek.

"_I love you."_ Anne sent with all the love she could muster. It was strange, but Anne knew that he loved her, but he couldn't bring himself to say the words just yet. He sent her warm feelings of love and she sighed deeply contented.

Lord Vader sent his son and Mara Jade on a mission to find a new home for the Jedi temple; he couldn't bring himself to return to the temple on Coruscant. Too many bad memories and nightmares waited for him there. Leia was working with Mon Mothma on reestablishment of the Republic government. Lord Vader instead remained on his ship the Executor.

"_Father?"_

"Mm?"

"_Are you going to help Luke set up the Jedi council? Are you going to teach? Are you going to be a Jedi Master?"_

Lord Vader chuckled lightly at his daughter's excitement, "It depends on the will of the Force, and I will probably be an advisor only." Lord Vader felt Anne's disappointment.

"I've done many terrible things, Anne. I doubt that I could even consider myself as a Jedi for I've been a Sith for over twenty years."

Anne sighed she knew that her father would have to forgive himself, but it would take patience, love, and compassion. Her father was dark, yes, but truly evil and vile like the Emperor? The Force whispered to her that the answer was an emphatic NO. He turned to the dark side of the force for the love of a woman and returned to the light for the love of a son and a daughter. He was the patriarch of the Skywalker family and Anne knew that he would be very protective over not only Luke, but most especially her; since she was the baby of the family.

"You are right young one." Lord Vader responded hearing her deep thoughts.

Anne sighed deeply and climbed aboard her father's shoulders as he was standing.

"I am unaccustomed to having children wanting piggy-back rides."

"_Well, if I'm going to be raised by an overprotective Sith for a parent; then my father will have to become accustomed to certain behaviors only I as the youngest can exhibit."_

"Very well spoken for a nine year old youngling."

Anne smiled, _"Admiral Piett is very impressed with my language skills, besides your library only has adult books in it; nothing with pictures."_

"Sorry to disappoint you." Lord Vader noted wryly.

"_No, you're not."_ Anne laughed.

Lord Vader shook his head, still rather amazed at the change that had taken place. He knew that he shouldn't still hold on to his Sith name, because that person didn't really exist anymore. But he wasn't quite ready to take on the name Anakin Skywalker either, though both of his children had taken the surname of Skywalker not Vader. He decided that maybe a compromise was in order, maybe he could be known as Lord Skywalker, he could keep his surname and still have the Sith title.

Anne sat on her father's shoulders enjoying the view of his great height; she knew that she would not take after her father in the regard of his height, no matter how many glasses of milk she drank or how many disgusting green vegetables she had to eat. Admiral Piett smiled gently at Anne and greeted Lord Vader.

"Good evening, milord and milady."

"Good evening, Admiral Piett. All quiet this evening?"

"Yes, milord; the third shift is my favorite, it is the most quiet and I can get the most work done."

"Yes, I know what you mean, Admiral."

Anne yawned and stretched her arms above her head, but instead of falling asleep atop her father's shoulders, she slid down to his arms and placed her head on his shoulder, closing her blue eyes.

"It looks like the little lady needs to go to bed." Admiral Piett noted as Lord Vader rubbed her back.

"Good night, Admiral Piett. Inform all personnel of my name change from Lord Vader to Lord Skywalker."

"Yes, Lord Skywalker it will be done. Don't forget the staff meeting tomorrow morning at 0800."

Lord Skywalker rolled his eyes, "That is one thing that I find most irritating about command, Admiral Piett. Please remind our staff that I still have very little patience for political maneuvering and ingratiating themselves on to me."

"Yes, milord it will be done."

Anne felt her father tuck her into bed and knew he was watching her as she slept. _"Good night, father."_

"Good night, young one." Lord Skywalker kissed his daughter on the forehead.

The mornings on the Executor were always bustling with activity from shift change, to talkative troopers, and officers discussing the previous evening's events. Lord Skywalker entered the conference room and took a seat at the head of the table. The other officers quietly took their seats and looked expectantly at Lord Skywalker. The few moments were tension filled as Lord Skywalker calmly looked at each one of his officers. He felt their tension and strong emotions they were emitting in the Force. It nearly bombarded him to almost overwhelming him.

"Gentlemen, as you are aware the Empire no longer exists, we have returned to a democracy and soon the Senate and its leadership will be reinstated. However, I am certain that we will still be needed to protect outlying systems. Much chaos is bound to occur especially since everything that we've known will change. Change can be positive and as of right now, I am still in charge of the Imperial Fleet. Our duty will be to serve the Republic and all its citizens. If you decide that you rather not partake in this new era of peace and change of mission. You may leave with my blessings, we will take you where you want to go, and I know that some of you haven't seen your families in years. This goes for all the men in this Imperial fleet."

xXx

Luke and Mara Jade landed on Chandrila, the beautiful home planet of Supreme Chancellor Mon Mothma. After seeking an audience with the monarch, they were given the freedom to search for a new home of the Jedi Temple. Many of the Chandrila people remembered the Jedi and remembered the blessings that the Jedi had given the Republic. It was by far the friendliest planet that the Jedi Knights had traveled to and it seemed that the Force was giving its blessing. When Luke informed his father, there was a small smile of gratitude on his face. The small towns and rural areas would be soothing for learning and teaching. There were lakes, rivers, and even deep forests. It seemed so very idyllic, Lord Skywalker agreed that it was far enough away from the hustle and bustle of Coruscant and would be good settling place.

Once Supreme Chancellor gave her blessing her people started planning the Jedi temple with the architects and many others. Luke took a swoop bike through the main fields and valleys. He found a spot that seemed to call to him. He stepped off the bike and sat crossed-legged on the ground listen to the Force.

"You have done well, young one." Obi-Wan blue glimmer of his presence came before him.

"So do you think that this will be a good beginning for the Jedi, Master Kenobi?" Luke inquired excitedly.

"Yes, Luke."

"Master Kenobi, how involved should my father be in the recreation of the Jedi Order? He still holds a lot of darkness and guilt about what he did."

"Yes and he's afraid that it could happen again. We must let him choose his own path and I do believe that it will be up to your sister Anne to help him."

"Thank you Master Kenobi."

_**Author's Note:I do not own Star Wars or any of the characters, places, objects therein. –Darth Gladiator45**_


	2. A Princess' Hatred

_**Author's Note: I've failed to note in the first chapter that it may be beneficial to read First Memory prior to reading this story of Redemption.**_

Anne had finished up her homework assignment and did a tentative touch on her father's bond and he was sparring. _"Is your homework completed, young one?"_

"_Yes, father."_

"_Meet me in the sparring room."_

"_Okay."_ Anne pulled her cloak on and pulled her hood up; she removed her ankle boots and ran up the corridors and sliding on the black shiny floors. She was not watching where she was going and managed to trip and fall as the sparring room doors opened. She was laying flat on her back laughing in her mind. Lord Skywalker walked over to the youngling and saw tears of happiness flowing from her eyes. He put his hands on his hips, "Anne Marie Skywalker, just what do you think you are doing?"

Anne quickly jumped up and looked at her stocking feet. _"I was running and sliding in the hallways, Father. I'm sorry."_

Lord Skywalker sighed heavily and stepped aside to allow his daughter to enter the room. She thought she was in the free and clear until she felt a sharp whack to her behind. _"Yeow! Did you have to use your right hand?"_

"Yes. You've been told before that this ship is not a playground and that you are to walk and not run to your destinations. If there's a next time you forget that rule, you will pay a heavier price." Lord Vader scolded as he wagged his finger at her.

"_Yes, father." _But when she turned around to look into his eyes she saw that he was amused. He quickly cleared his face of all emotion and told her to remove her cloak. Anne hung it on the hook and removed her lightsaber, the purple blade burst forward. Lord Vader activated a training droid and after a good warm up he increased its level. Anne was doing well, but then it zapped her in the behind.

She took her lightsaber and flung it at the droid and attempted to call it back to her hand. If Lord Skywalker hadn't deactivated the sword it would have became lodged into the wall. Instead it fell to the floor in a clatter and Anne smiled sheepishly.

"Let's not try that again, you aren't trained well enough yet. Go through your drills."

"_You do it and so does Luke and Mara!"_ Anne exclaimed.

"Young one you must be patient, I've had over thirty years experience in lightsaber dueling, Mara has been training nearly her entire life and Luke has had intense training as well. It will come in time, trust me."

Anne sighed she knew that her father was right of course, but that didn't really make it any easier. Impatience after all was one of the Skywalker traits. As soon as lessons ended, she was dismissed to enjoy the rest of the afternoon.

"_Father, when will Luke and Mara return?"_

"We have received word that they found a place for us on Chandrila."

"_That's Supreme Chancellor Mothma's home planet."_

"Yes, very good; tomorrow morning you and I will take the Tydirium to Chandrila."

After swimming, Anne took a short nap; her father was on the bridge giving final instructions to the crew and specifically to Admiral Piett. She packed her bags and sat in her father's chair, though she knew it annoyed him. It was so soft and comfortable. The black leather chair was large enough for him and since she was still small she felt swallowed up by the chair. She removed a book she was reading and wrapped her father's midnight black cloak around herself and continued to read.

It was late evening, when Lord Skywalker returned to his quarters and saw his daughter asleep in his chair, he felt irritated but he didn't have the heart to move her. She was sleeping so deeply and sweetly. He ordered a light dinner and gently shook his daughter awake.

"Come get some dinner."

In the middle of the meal, he was paged to the comm., he answered it.

"Lord Skywalker we are intercepting a message from Princess Leia Organa."

"Send it." Lord Skywalker curtly replied.

"Good evening, Lord Vader." Leia stated with sarcasm dripping from her voice.

"Good evening, Princess Leia." Lord Skywalker didn't bother correcting the Princess; she still didn't trust him or like him much. It didn't take a force-sensitive to sense this either.

"Have you heard from Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker?"

"Yes, he has found a place for us on Chandrila. You are welcome to join us."

"I'll never join you." Princess Leia haughtily replied.

"Note that I said, 'us', Princess Leia, not me."

"When you leave Luke alone, I will go to Chandrila to visit him."

"Do not punish Luke for having me as a Father. He didn't choose his parents, his relationship with you means a lot to him you know."

"Yes, I am aware of this, I've been looking out for Luke for years while you were chasing us halfway across the galaxy. It makes no difference to me that you are now fully human, Lord Vader. For you will always be a monster for what you did to me."

"Next time I will leave you to Tarkin. If I hadn't done what I had to do, you would have suffered more indignities other than a mind probe and being drugged."

"So, now I should just thank you for your generosity? It isn't ever going to happen, Lord Vader." Leia's face became twisted with obvious anger and fear, "**_I truly and absolutely hate you_**." With that Leia shut off the transmitter before Lord Skywalker could respond.

"It's a shame you aren't force-sensitive, Princess Leia for Lord Sidious would have made you a perfect Sith."

Anne made a hasty retreat to the dining room and was sitting in her chair. Lord Skywalker raised an eyebrow as he realized that Anne was slightly winded.

"Eavesdropping again, what have I told you?"

Anne looked at her plate of broccoli and said nothing.

"Well? Are you going to answer? Or do I need to find a new way to motivate you?"

"_I'm sorry. I was just curious."_

"That is no excuse, Anne Marie and you know it. Finish eating and go straight to bed."

Anne ate her disgusting broccoli and went to bed after brushing her teeth. She cried herself to sleep she was very upset that her father had to punish her again. But at least she just missed dessert and not earned a beating like she would have if she was with the Emperor.

xXx

Lord Skywalker meditated after finishing his glass of red wine. Qui-Gon appeared before him, "Leia Organa has a fiery temper doesn't she? Don't you ever wonder where she gets it from?"

"Don't know. It is really not my concern, Qui-Gon. I do know that Senator Organa would have been ashamed of her behavior."

"Yes, he would have, my friend. She was certainly brought up better."

"Is there a particular reason why you have come to disturb my mediation, Qui-Gon?"

"Search your feelings, Anakin. Why do you think you protected her on the Death Star? If you were truly evil then you would have allowed Grand Moff Tarkin full access to the Princess."

"She was a young girl; Senator Organa was fool to send her on that mission."

"Princess Leia is a very strong willed woman and fiery temper that matches. Senator Organa couldn't really control her."

"How does all this relate to me? I wish to be left alone, Qui-Gon."

"Search your feelings." Qui-Gon left with that sage piece of advice and Lord Skywalker sighed deeply remembering that horrible day on Mustafar. Not only the confrontation with his former mentor Obi-Wan but with Padmé.

Despite the pain it brought to him to remember that incident, he searched his feelings for Padmé. He had told her to remain on Coruscant in their apartment, but she foolishly went after him because of what Obi-Wan had told her.

Padmé didn't know that Obi-Wan was on board her ship when she confronted him on Mustafar. She was just as surprised as he was, except he thought the worst of his wife. He thought that Padmé had betrayed him with Obi-Wan, he called her liar and throttled her even has she had told him that she loved him. As the battle between Obi-Wan and himself ensued, his spirit remained with Padmé and watched as See-Threepio and Artoo loaded Padmé into the Nubian cruiser. An exhausted Obi-Wan joined them. He remembered feeling Padmé's pain during his own process of becoming Lord Vader; it was the pain of giving birth. He distinctly felt it twice, before Padmé died of not his hand but of a broken heart. Hot tears coursed down his face, he lost her. But not their children, Luke and Leia Skywalker, they were fraternal twins. Luke looked like him in appearance and even had the same Skywalker stubbornness and sought after adventure just like he did at his age. Leia looked like his beloved Padmé but had his temper. A very dangerous but seductive character, no wonder Han Solo was so enraptured by her.

_Author's Note: **Thank you for all your kind reviews on my first chapter. It may seem a little confusing but because according to the way I left things on First Memory it seemed that Lord Vader/Skywalker already knew the existence of his daughter Leia, but that was an error on my part. Besides I thought I would add the internal struggle between father and daughter, it would fill out both of their characters a bit more.—Darth Gladiator45**_


	3. Lord Skywalker's Challenge pt1

Princess Leia hated Lord Vader with all the fiber of her being, if she were strong enough she would kill him for everything he had ever done, including taking her mother Padmé away and murdering her in cold blood. Her father Bail Organa had told her that she was adopted, that she knew her mother was Padmé Amidala but she was told that her father was murdered and betrayed by Lord Vader. Lord Vader might be kind to Anne but that was only because she was probably conceived in a rape and he probably killed her mother too, but maybe felt guilty and that's why Anne was treated half-way decently. Luke was far too naïve to shouldn't take Lord Vader at face value. Han Solo could see the Princess' intense anger and knew that it was probably best to leave her alone; he worked on the Falcon as a way to keep busy. Leia ordered Han Solo to Chandrila, so she could meet with Luke and hopefully left before the hypocrite Lord Vader appeared.

xXx

Anne was excited as she was escorted to the Tydirium shuttle. Lord Skywalker saluted Admiral Piett and entered the shuttle. After landing on Chandrila, Anne saw the familiar Millennium Falcon and Princess Leia was disembarking.

"_Father! Princess Leia is here, can I go see her?"_

"No, wait young one."

Anne was bursting with energy and she grabbed her father's hand and the both of them walked towards Princess Leia and Han Solo.

Anne was released and she grabbed Princess Leia about the waist giving her a huge hug. "Hello sweetie, how are you?" Leia did like Anne, even if she didn't know that her father was a monster.

"Princess Leia." Lord Skywalker greeted coolly.

"Lord Vader, so nice to see you again, here I was hoping that the pleasure of seeing you again would be permanently postponed." Princess Leia stated as the deadly sarcasm was dripping from her words like a dark rich poison.

"Sometimes the Force can bring two people together whether they want it or not."

Princess Leia glared at Lord Vader who merely smiled, as he remembered an old saying 'kill them with kindness'.

Anne could feel the cold feelings pouring over Princess Leia, she felt dark. Anne couldn't quite understand why she had such a hatred of her father. Lord Skywalker had the directions to the country home and it was decided that they rent one vehicle. Han Solo sat next to Lord Vader as Princess Leia refused to do so. After the systems checked out and they had plenty of fuel, Anne was small enough to sit on Princess Leia's lap.

"_You should let your hair down, Princess you would look so pretty."_ Anne smiled.

"It gets everywhere, I prefer it up."

Anne manipulated the braided buns and the hair fell into her face.

"That was an inappropriate use of the Force, young one. Don't let me catch you doing it again, understand?" Lord Skywalker scolded.

"_I'm sorry."_

Leia brushed her hair out of her face and held Anne tighter.

"Lord Vader, don't be so harsh on the young girl."

"She knows better. It isn't your place to correct me on my parenting skills."

"Parenting skills? You're kidding me right?" Leia scoffed.

Anne could feel the tension building and knew that she had to do something quickly before it became violent. Han was silent, he knew better than to get involved when Leia started getting started on her tirade.

"I don't know how Luke can put up with such an ornery Sith Lord for a parent."

"_Father is no longer a Sith, Princess Leia."_ Anne replied.

"He may no longer be a Sith, but he certainly isn't a Jedi either."

Lord Skywalker sighed, "Do not refer to me in third person when I am sitting right here, Leia."

"Princess Leia to you Lord Vader, you do not know me well enough to call me by my first name."

"I know you better than you think, Princess." Lord Skywalker scoffed.

"Yes invading my thoughts can give you deep insight can't it?" Leia returned.

"Hey how bout' them pod racers?" Han interrupted trying to save Princess Leia from the growing tension that was becoming thicker by the minute.

"Be quiet Han. Nobody was asking you."

Han threw his hands up in disgust and remained silent, _"Let the princess get into deeper trouble with her mouth I don't care. Doesn't she realize to whom she's exchanging words?"_

"Well I tell you what Princess, next time you are captured on an Imperial Garrison with nothing but men on board I will leave you to your own devices."

"Oh let me guess you told your men to leave me alone? That I was yours alone to torture and kill? Oh, how comforting. You are such sweet Sith and here I was thinking that you were nothing but a sick, psychotic, monster. It's nice to see how mistaken I was." Leia replied with the sarcastic poison dripping with each word uttered.

"Enough." Lord Skywalker warned.

Anne felt the cold permeate from her Father and knew that Leia was really pushing the envelope. _"Princess Leia, please stop."_ Anne pleaded.

"Is it me or is it getting cold in here?" Han Solo noted the wisps of breath in the cold air.

"Enough of the truth, what's the matter Lord Vader does it hurt? Good I hope it does because then I will be able to pay back for all the agony you've caused me and my family."

"Revenge is not fitting for a Princess. What would Bail Organa say?"

"You leave him out of this! You murdered him and everyone on Alderaan."

"Do not attribute crimes to me that I haven't committed, it was Grand Moff Tarkin that ordered the shot."

"You could have stopped him!"

"Oh and I suppose the rebellion would have welcomed me with open arms right?"

Princess Leia fell silent as she couldn't think of a retort to that comment albeit one, "Why were you trembling when you were holding me back?"

"I felt all that death through the Force, it wasn't my idea to build that damn space station believe me. It was already in construction when I joined Palpatine and Grand Moff Tarkin."

"Why did you hold me back?"

"If you had attacked Tarkin he would have a reason to further see to your torture including rape. Not just one time either, multiple times."

"So why did you stop him? I was just a rebel."

"Yes, you were a rebel, but you are also a lady and despite everything thing I had done to you, if Tarkin had gotten a hold of you it would have been far worse."

"You were protecting me?"

Lord Skywalker sighed and rolled his eyes, "Yes Princess I was protecting you."

Leia remained silent as they pulled up on the large isolated estate there was a village ten miles to the north in the valley of the mountains. Luke was dressed oddly at least in Lord Skywalker's opinion. He was wearing overalls and had a nail bag on his waist and a hammer in his hand. He was working on the roof.

Anne leapt out and started running towards the house. Mara was washing some windows and complaining heartily.

"Good more workers have arrived, Farmboy!"

"Quit calling me that, Assassin!"

Anne wrapped herself around Mara and hugged her tightly. "Hi, Anne, how are you?"

"_Good, I'm glad to be here, the tension between father and Princess Leia was getting intense."_

"I can imagine." Mara smiled.

Princess Leia hugged Luke and kissed him on the cheek.

"Good to see you father." Luke greeted.

"Same here, son."

"_Hey, Luke, call Father 'Dad', he loves it."_ Anne sent.

"_Are you trying to get me into trouble?"_ Luke asked.

"_Maybe a little, but I can't say it so everyone can hear me, say it."_

"We fixed up some rooms for you and Anne, would you like to see them, uh Dad?" Luke nervously added.

Lord Skywalker bristled as he turned around and glared at his youngest, "You just had to say it didn't you Anne Marie?"

"_But I didn't say it, Luke did."_

"Yes, Luke, please show us our rooms so Anne and I can have some privacy."

"_Echuta! It's Huttese; when Dad gets mad you can sometimes hear him cursing."_

"How does Father know Huttese?"

"I grew up on Tatooine, and if you don't stop cursing Anne Marie you will be in serious trouble, young lady."

Luke Skywalker was working in an old home that had several bedrooms, a large kitchen, living room, dining room. It was temporary housing until the temple could be built. The rooms that would belong to Lord Skywalker and Anne were in the east side of the house, Lord Skywalker had the master bedroom with a private refresher and a balcony and Anne's room had a large rose trellis outside the large window seat. Her bedroom hadn't been painted yet; Lord Skywalker's room was in dark blue and light colored paneling.

"Thank you, Luke. You did a wonderful job in our rooms, please excuse us will you?"

"Sure."

Anne sighed deeply, _"Will it help if I apologize?"_

"It might ease your guilty conscience; if you wish to apologize go ahead."

"_I'm sorry; I was trying to ease tension between you and Princess Leia."_

"It is not your place to get yourself in the middle of something that has nothing to do with you. You will learn that there are times when you have to learn stay out of people's business. Princess Leia and I will have to straighten out our differences and I will not have some nine year old youngling trying to negotiate peace between myself and another. Do you understand?" Lord Skywalker looked at his daughter very intently. Anne shivered slightly at the intense blue eyes peering down at her. _"Yes, father I understand."_

"Good. Do you think you will be able to remember this lesson or do you require some physical reinforcement?"

Anne's eyes filled with tears she hated it when her father referred to a spanking as a physical reinforcement. _"I'd like to meditate on this lesson; I don't think I require physical reinforcement."_

"Next time you get in the middle between myself and another, there will be no choice given you will receive a spanking, do I make myself clear?"

"_Yes, father you do."_

Anne sat in the window seat and closed her eyes and meditated.

Princess Leia and Han were heard arguing when Lord Skywalker entered the kitchen to get a glass of water. He stood silently sipping the fresh cool water watching the verbal sparring match. It reminded him of the times he and Padmé used to argue mostly about politics.

"You really enjoy pushing people's button's don't you, your highness? Have you forgotten who you were verbally sparring with?" Han asked.

"Since when are you on his side, you big overgrown nerf-herder?"

"I'm not; but this man means business there is no teasing or mocking him."

"Oh, please! Do you think I'm afraid of him? Even when he was still in that suit I gave him a piece of my mind."

"You are either very brave or very foolish! I haven't figured out which yet."

"I will not be ruled by fear by him or no one else!" Leia stormed out of the kitchen slamming the door but not before giving an evil look to Lord Skywalker.

"Women! I should know better than to argue with a politician for they will always win."

"Mmhmm."

"So what do you think I should do?" Han asked.

"Let her calm down and come to you. She will, for I sense great love and compassion she has for you Solo."

"You know its funny, I remember Bail Organa when I was a kid, he never had a fiery temper or at least I had never seen it."

"Leia was adopted; she gets her temper from her father and her righteousness from her mother."

"How would you know?"

Anakin smiled discreetly and excused himself from the kitchen gently closing the door behind him. Princess Leia was sitting in the grass by the large oak tree. She was nervously picking at her sweater.

"Princess."

"Lord Vader, leave me alone; I am not in the mood for you right now."

"I sense you will never be in the mood to talk to me."

Leia looked up at him and glared at him. "You are right about that, we have nothing in common except that we both care about Luke and Anne."

"We have more in common than you think."

"I do not care! Leave me alone."

Lord Skywalker was intrigued and decided to allow his playful side out, "Or what?"

"I will kill you."

"You are welcome to try, young one." Lord Skywalker smiled sardonically.

Leia jumped to her feet and removed her sweater as Lord Skywalker removed his black cloak he also relinquished his lightsaber. Princess Leia walked right up to him and slapped him hard in the face, twice.

"Do you even know how to kill someone? Slapping me just makes me want to laugh." Leia balled up her fist.

"Okay if you hit me can I return the favor?"

"If you can catch me." Leia challenged.

"Fair enough." Lord Skywalker smiled.

Leia punched him in the jaw. He spit out a mouthful of blood, "My turn." Lord Skywalker ominously stated as Leia ran screaming. Luke saw his father chasing Princess Leia and knew that there was no real danger. Han heard the screaming and saw a very intent Lord Skywalker chasing after a petite senator. "Han! Please, please, you've got to save me."

"No way! You are on your own, princess. I warned you."

Princess Leia ran into the house and hid in a cupboard underneath the staircase. Leia heard the ominous footsteps and door swung open wide and she ran out from underneath the staircase and out the front door. At this point Lord Skywalker was just playing with her; of course Princess Leia didn't know his intentions were actually pretty mundane. He wasn't interested in hurting his eldest daughter; she was so much like Padmé. Leia arrived at the same location and saw the large black cloak and knew that Lord Vader was very attached to it. She picked it up and the weight of just about dragged her down. Princess Leia didn't know how he managed it, but the next thing she knew the hair on her neck stood straight up and a cold vapor surrounded her. She turned around and Lord Vader standing there smiling, it was the most terrifying thing she ever saw.

"Princess, I didn't know you liked my cloak." Lord Skywalker force-pulled it out of her hand and put it on. "Thank you."

Leia was overwhelmed and it seemed her natural defiance dissipated. She tried to back away but tripped over her own two feet and fell flat on her backside. Leia noted that he just stood there looking at her. He crouched down to her level and offered his hand. She steadfastly refused to be helped up, by this hypocritical Sith Lord.

"Still incredibly defiant and stubborn, if I didn't know any better, I'd swear that you were a Skywalker."

"By all the Gods of Alderaan there is no way that I'm related to you, I'd kill myself if I were."

Lord Skywalker smiled again and grabbed Princess Leia and threw her over his shoulders.

"PUT ME DOWN, VADER! Haven't you done enough?"

"That's Lord Vader to you."

Princess Leia yelled, screamed, kicked, and beat on his back. Luke and Han were laughing at the scene.

"So, tell me Leia, how did Senator Organa discipline you when you were misbehaving?"

"I am not a child! You will do well to remember that! Put me down or so help me!"

Lord Skywalker laughed, "You are so much like Padmé it hurts."

"You knew my mother?" now Leia was thoroughly confused.

"Yes, you could say that."

"What the hell is that suppose to mean? Is that before or after you betrayed her and my father?"

"So am I to understand that you do not know who your natural father is?"

"Yes, I was told that you betrayed him and murdered him in cold blood."

Lord Skywalker set her down on the bench, "Padmé was an angel, and she was petite like you had beautiful long brown hair and biggest set of brown eyes I had ever seen. Your father wasn't betrayed or murdered; Padmé Amidala Naberrie Skywalker was my wife."

"You lie!" Leia yelled as she jumped up and attempted to leave but found herself frozen in place.

"I have no reason to be deceitful, Leia. You are my daughter."

"No am I not! My father was a Jedi and they weren't allowed to get married and have children."

"I broke the no-attachment rule and married your mother after the battle of Geonosis."

"You are making this up; if you are my father then you know my middle name."

"Leia Amidala Skywalker is your name."

"Does Luke have a middle name too?"

"Yes it is Benjamin."

"I still don't believe you! You are just setting all this up to get both of us. I do not accept you as my father, Lord Vader. Bail Organa was my father and loved me very much. You don't even know what love is, do you?"

"Do not preach to me, Leia. I warn you."

"No, Lord Vader I warn you stay far away from me."

"Be wary of your feelings of fear, anger, and hatred for they will lead you down a dark path."

"Save that Jedi mumbo-jumbo for Luke, I do not have the Force."

"Yes you do."

"That's it." Leia stormed over to Lord Vader and punched him again, this time hitting him in the eye.

"Mm, this should have been done years and years ago, but they say it is never too late." Leia found herself falling face forward over Lord Vader's lap.

_**Author's Note:Sorry for the delay in the updating process; writers block turned into an entire neighborhood. Thanks for reviewing . . . Darth Gladiator45**_


	4. Lord Skywalker's Challenge pt2

Leia became even more indignant and demanded, "Just what the hell do think you are doing?"

"Can't you guess? Don't worry you'll figure it out soon enough." Leia cried out as she felt a sharp whack strike her bottom.

"I don't believe this! You aren't allowed to spank me, Lord Vader. I am not going to tolerate this from you." Leia fought and no matter what she did, the lesson continued. Han and Luke laughed from the kitchen, "Damn that old man is strict."

Leia continued to try to get up, to bite, to kick, to fight but it was futile. Tears were starting to form in her eyes. "You are such a sick bully! I don't believe this! Let me go!"

Once Leia was sobbing incoherently, Lord Skywalker released her. She stood on her feet and gathered up her resolve and started to raise her hand to slap him again.

"Please don't milady. You certainly don't want to make me angry do you?" Lord Skywalker glared at his daughter with fierce yellow/red eyes. Leia lowered her hand, "You will regret laying a hand on me."

"How do you figure, princess?" Lord Skywalker inquired as he leaned back relaxed.

Leia glared at him as he spoke, "You are very defiant and not incredibly wise to keep challenging me like you do."

"What are you going to do about it, Lord Vader?"

"Are sure you really want to continue this challenge? Why not allow your backside to heal first and then come back and try reinserting your dominance then. I would really hate to have to hurt you."

"It's too late for that, you son of a b. . ." Leia's vocal cords were seemingly frozen.

"You can insult me for an entire millennium, but you will not insult my mother, _ever_." Lord Skywalker's eyes flashed with vengeance.

Leia lifted her small foot and kicked Lord Skywalker in the shin as hard as she could. "You have really enraged me now, Leia Amidala Skywalker." Lord Skywalker grabbed Leia's arm and escorted her into the house.

"Luke, do you have a bedroom for my princess?"

"Yes."

Leia tried screaming andfighting but her hands were immobilized by an invisible line.

"Stay." Lord Skywalker put a block around the window and the door was locked.

Leia tried the door desperately she was kicking it and beating on the hard wood door with her fists. Lord Skywalker stormed out of the house to the garage where a seemingly broken speeder lay, the transmission was in disarray and there were parts scattered in the garage. As both a Jedi and a Sith, fixing and repairing things had always soothed him. After removing his cloak and rolling up his sleeves he started cleaning and organizing tools, parts, lubricants and other miscellaneous objects.

Anne finished meditating and touched her father's bond and he was concentrating hard on something. _"Help Luke and Mara, young one, I am busy."_

"_Yes father."_

Mara was cutting fresh ingredients for the salad when Anne walked into the kitchen, _"Dad says I should help you."_ Anne smiled mischievously.

"Set the table, is Leia going to be joining us?" Mara laughed.

"Doubt it, Lord Vader must have really laid into her." Han laughed.

"_She's not thinking; she's still being stubborn, Han. Please help her."_

"I tried to warn Leia, I really did but she wouldn't listen."

Leia lay on her bed after exhausting herself and trying to escape; she took a long cooling shower and gently sat on the stool in front of the vanity and started to braid her hair. She lay on her stomach allowing the cool breeze from the fan ease the pain in her behind. She heard a soft knock on her door, "The door is locked from the outside, and I cannot let you in." Leia replied.

"Are you dressed?"

"Yes, come in." Leia indignantly replied as she recognized the voice.

"Are you hungry?" Lord Skywalker asked as he set the tray on the table.

"No go to hell."

"Now, now, Princess, play nice."

"Why should I? You have humiliated me. Treating me like a school girl."

"Well if you wouldn't act like one, then maybe juvenile punishments wouldn't be necessary."

"For the record, I am not your princess or your daughter, Lord Vader. Now leave me be."

"Sometimes the truth can hurt or be difficult to accept. I will leave you for now, but you and I are more alike than you think."

Princess Leia watched as Lord Vader left the room, softly closing the door behind him. She picked up a vase of flowers that adorned the tray and threw them at the door yelling, "You Sith slave bastard!"

The door suddenly burst open and a fierce, infuriating expression graced Lord Skywalker's face. Very slowly and menacing he approached the Princess who was currently back pedaling the fear incredibly palatable in the air.

"What did you call me?" the exasperating tone was very clear. His body language expressed not only anger but deep hurt.

Leia felt very cold, started to shiver she gathered her blanket to herself.

"Did you call me a Sith slave bastard? Did I hear you correctly?"

"I certainly didn't call you 'daddy', Lord Vader." Leia sarcastically replied.

Leia noted how he crossed his arms and continued to glare at her. Most people would wisely and slowly back down from the intimidating expression on Lord Skywalker's face. However, Leia was not one to back down easily he was discovering. The temperatures in the room plummeted; still Leia would not back down. It was the battle of wills and the entire house could feel the tension, even Han who is not Force-sensitive could feel the uneasiness.

"I feel your fear, anger and hatred, Princess. The dark side is swirling around you trying to get a solid hold on you. You call me a Sith slave, you are right at one time I was; it is only due to Anne's and Luke's faith in me that I was set free. Your hatred of me will only destroy you it will take a bit of time, but it will happen. You do not have to forgive me or even want to have anything to do with me and I will accept this. But you must let go of your hate before you become enslaved yourself. If Darth Sidious had felt this much anger and hate in you, there would be no going back, you would have become his slave. I'll leave you to think about this."

Leia watched as Lord Skywalker left the room, leaving it unlocked. Leia slowly realized that he was right, he had first hand experience of the dark side and she could tell that it left him marked.

Dinner was a silent affair, everyone was wary of saying anything at the dinner table, after eating, everyone left the table and Anne volunteered to help Mara in the kitchen. Lord Skywalker started a fire and slowly watched as the flames dancing around the logs. After taking hot bath, Anne dressed in her father's black silk shirt and went downstairs. _"Father, can you come and tuck me into bed?"_ Lord Skywalker turned around and saw his youngest daughter wearing one of his black silk shirts and his long ebony cloak was trailing behind her. Anne gently smiled as he gathered her up into his arms. She kissed him on the cheek and wrapped her arms around his neck. _"I love you, father."_

"And I you, young one."

Anne was settled into bed and Anakin wiped a tendril of long blonde hair out of her face and peered into her dark blue eyes. _"Sometimes you wish you could have tucked Luke and Leia into bed, don't you?"_

"Yes, I do; but wishing doesn't make it so, young one. Sweet dreams, Anne."

Anakin returned to the living room poking the fire and adding another log. Leia entered the living room and saw something very odd and she even felt the strong feelings radiating from Lord Skywalker. It was a great deal of sadness; she saw the glistening of his tears. The room felt warm and the fire mesmerized Leia until she found herself sitting on the floor next to Lord Skywalker, she seethed a little bit and found an odd smile gracing Lord Skywalker's face. Before she could figure out what was going on, he had placed his hands on her head as warm feeling of healing flowed through her and she felt better.

"Thank you, milord."

"You're welcome, I'm sorry I'm a bit rusty on using healing techniques. The passive side of the Force was never my strongest abilities even when I was a Jedi."

"Milord, what happened to my mother and why did you turn?"

"Are you sure you want the answers to those questions?"

"Yes."

Anakin looked into Leia's eyes and found that she indeed wanted to understand so she could maybe someday forgive him.

_**Author's Note:Thanks for all the kind reviews. I'm glad you are enjoying this tale. As always Star Wars doesn't belong to me, I'm merely playing in George Lucas' galaxy.—Darth Gladiator45.**_


	5. Father & Daughter Forgiveness

Anakin gently grasped Leia's hands into his own, "Do you know how to meditate?"

"No."

"It takes some practice but with time and training it will be second nature, A' Marie can meditate effortlessly. First, get comfortable. Second, clear your mind of your thoughts and worries. Third, listen to the sounds of my voice and I will show you the experiences I had and have an open mind most importantly."

Leia took a deep cleansing breath and closed her eyes.

"_Leia, can you hear me?"_

"_Yes, you are speaking to my mind. I didn't know telepathy was a part of this."_

"_This is how Luke and I can communicate, we have a bond because we are father and son; just the same that you and I are father and daughter. We are going to take a trip to my past memories. Are you ready?"_

"_Yes."_

Tatooine was a hot, desolate, planet with nothing but a cruel life to struggle for most, but especially those in the slave quarters. Leia felt like she was watching a holo-drama on the network. She saw a young boy with blonde hair and clearest set of bright blue eyes. He was wearing a dirty tunic and pants; he was searching for droid parts in a scrap yard. Leia saw the deep resemblance to Luke; the only difference was that Anakin was a slave the first part of his life. He found an old part and his face lit up with excitement. He ran inside the store when he heard a Toydarian call his name, well technically a title really. There were strange folks in the shop that day. A very tall gentleman wearing a poncho; a lanky Gungan with large floppy ears and an astromech droid that looked very familiar. But it was the beautiful girl that caught Anakin's eye. She was very young and dressed simply, her long brown hair was braided and she had the deepest set of brown eyes that Anakin had ever seen, besides his mom's of course. "Are you an angel?" the young Anakin asked. Padmé smiled at the little boy and replied, "You are a strange little boy."

Leia experienced an onslaught of Anakin's feelings, she admired his competitive spirit and his seemingly prodigy level of mathematics and science. All those years with See-Threepio and she never would have guessed that he was made by a nine year old boy from Tatooine, the same little boy that would become Lord Vader and her most feared enemy. "Where was your father, milord?" Leia questioned when she saw her grandmother cooking dinner for not only Anakin but for his house guests as well. Anakin pulled out of the trance and gave Leia a sad smile. "I didn't have one."

"Huh? Everyone has a father, whether they want to admit it or not." Leia smiled gently at her slight insult of her father.

"Not me; there was an ancient Jedi prophecy, I hesitate to admit it now. I was known as the Son of Suns, the Chosen One, and the one who would bring balance to the Force. My mom, Shmi woke up one morning and was pregnant with me. I was supposedly conceived by the midi-chlorians. I don't know the prophecy was nothing but a burden to me. It was ironic really that I was one of the strongest in the Force in a generation, but the Jedi council kept holding me down forcing me to fight in the Clone Wars and win battle after battle, even the most difficult of battles where there was no hope for the Republic. Despite it being against the rules, I married Padmé she was the only one that brought me a sense of peace in my life that was ruled by chaos."

Leia opened her eyes and saw tears flowing once again from her father's dark blue eyes. "I never imagined that I'd see Darth Vader cry."

"Most people wouldn't Leia. I was an enigma, actually come to think of it, I still am."

"Why do I get the feeling that you weren't with Padmé?"

"I was too afraid to hide my feelings from her, she demanded honesty."

Leia did a gentle probe into her father's mind, the large gate ascended and she felt all of his intense emotions. It was almost like being in a sea of crashing waves some were intensely bright and full of hope; while others were dark and angry. Most of the anger was directed at himself though; he had been unable to forgive himself. He sacrificed it all and lost it all to one single vile creature known as Darth Sidious or Emperor Palpatine as Leia knew him.

"I remember when I first saw you. I was nine years old you were storming out of the Emperor's throne room. You nearly crashed into me. It was odd I felt your intense emotions. I wasn't able to make the connection, Bail was there and protecting me from you. He was terrified that you would hurt me."

Anakin remembered that day as well he was angry (not an odd occurrence, really) He remembered looking down and seeing this diminutive, brown hair child. Most children were terrified of him, "Leia, why weren't you afraid of me? Why were you so bold and defiant?"

"I don't know; I've always been rebellious; Bail had a hard time with me. I remember one day he was so angry that I had left the palace and jumped on the speeder and disappeared for two whole days, he thought I was kidnapped. Its funny now but he said that if I ever did that again he would send me to live with you."

Anakin rolled his eyes and sighed deeply, "How old were you when you pulled that stunt?"

"Fourteen and very full of myself, I was chafing under father's authority. He grounded me for one solid month."

"Mm, there's something else you aren't telling me." Anakin smiled knowingly.

Leia sighed deeply and rolled her eyes, "You are very cruel, milord." Leia slightly laughed, nervously.

"Well, tell me then." Anakin smiled mischievously.

"I received a spanking; I guess fathers don't like it when you throw things at them."

"Not generally."

It was early morning, when Luke had gone downstairs and saw Leia and Father talking, he was glad that they had finally come to an understanding and that there seemed to be a sense of peace between the both of them. It would still take some time, but Luke knew that eventually things were turn out just fine between them.

_**Author's Note: Y****a'll will probably be angry with me, but I've decided to take a brief hiatus from writing on fan fiction, my well has run dry and I want to continue to put the quality in my stories, because I've been feeling like the quality isn't there like it should be. I hate to do this especially since I do have strong following, but I don't feel it's fair to continue to put out chapters that aren't quality. I appreciate the strong reviews and even some of the friendships I've formed, I'm not leaving forever. I will be returning as soon as I dig another well of ideas. As always Star Wars doesn't belong to me, I am merely playing in George Lucas' sand box. Thank you for your wonderful support and God Bless—Darth Gladiator45**_


	6. Father & Son Conflict

Luke was discovering quickly that building a Jedi Temple from scratch was not an easy feat. He really wished that his father played a more active role in the Jedi Temple designing and planning. But he also knew that there could be no twisting of his arm either. Luke was soon finding out just how stubborn his father really was. He tried to get him involved not just the planning of the temple, but in all Jedi affairs, but he outright refused. He had told Luke on numerous occasions that he had spent far too many years as a Sith to be able to tell him anything of value. Luke received several Jedi holograms and it helped a little as far as guidance went.

After one particularly frustrating day spent with architects, accountants and lawyers, Luke found his patience severely lacking. He sought out his father to demand him to take a more active role to become a Jedi Master and Council Member.

Anakin was meditating when he felt Luke through the Force, the boy was agitated. He really needed to learn to control his emotions.

"Father!" Luke yelled against his better judgment.

"Son." Anakin greeted patiently and evenly.

"We have to talk."

"Have a seat and we will talk."

Luke glared at his father, "You must become a Jedi Master and a Council Member, these people are walking all over me, and I'm not very good at this sort of negotiation."

Anakin listened to his son and sighed deeply as he allowed him to rant and rave, but not contributing anything to this much one-sided conversation. Luke finished and sat across from his father studying his face. "Are you done with your rant and may I answer?"

"Yes."

"I'm sorry Luke; I cannot help you with the rebuilding of the temple or the Jedi Order, I've done far too much damage in my twenty years as a Sith Lord. I will support you spiritually and even financially, but I cannot do as you ask. I'm sorry, but you have great strength in you, all you need to do is believe in yourself. I know I believe in you and in your abilities. You will do this without me holding your hand."

Luke glared at his father, not quite believing that he refused to help him, again.

"Why?"

"Consider this a trial in patience; it is your destiny to rebuild what I've destroyed, Luke. I have great faith that one day you will be a great Jedi Master and you will do it without me coddling you like a child."

"I am not a child!" Luke retorted.

Anakin sighed deeply and responded, "Then quit acting like it and do what must be done."

Luke glared at his father and Anakin responded, "Are you sure you want to continue this game with me?"

"This isn't a game, father; I just don't believe how hypocritical you are being."

"It is time for you to go, Luke." Anakin warned and none too gently.

"I just don't get it! You trained Mara Jade and even helped me with my Jedi skills and are working exclusively with Anne and now you won't help me with the other Jedi that are going to need training as well."

"This discussion is over; I do not have to explain myself to you Luke. I do not answer to you."

Luke jumped to his feet and stated quite emphatically, "One day you will have to find a way to forgive yourself, Father."

"Today is not that day, my son."

Luke stormed away and went into his room and after his shower meditated. Anakin finished meditating and went downstairs to the kitchen, Anne was washing the dishes. He felt waves of despair coming off the child as she was standing there with her hands in the warm water.

"Anne?" Anakin turned her around and saw that she had been crying. This was the fifth time this week he saw her distraught and hurting.

She was unusually silent and her thoughts were completely shut off to Anakin. He lifted her up into his arms and noted how tightly she wrapped her arms around his neck and she felt very warm. He carried her upstairs to the master bedroom and sat on the black leather recliner. She continued to sob as Anakin rubbed her back and gently rocked her.

"I can't help you if you don't tell me why you are hurting so much."

Anne couldn't find the words so she instead opened up her shields and allow Anakin full access to her memories and thoughts. It bombarded him and he took the time to help her relax so he could see them slowly.

Anne was being haunted by visions of the future, these dark images would terrify even a most experienced Jedi master, and even Yoda himself would have a hard time with this. Anakin continued to hold her and she refused to let him go.

"_He's coming back, father. He means to destroy our family."_ Anne stated as her fear started to overwhelm her again

Anakin didn't have to ask whom she was referring to, it was obvious, but the question was how?

_Author's Note:Okay, I'll give you three guesses as to who is returning. As always I do not own Star Wars or any of the canon characters. –Darth Gladiator45_


	7. Soul Searching

Anakin took Anne to her room and put her in a deep sleep with a mind suggestion. Her blue eyes fluttered shut and Anakin tucked her into bed.

Anakin then felt a disturbance of a spiritual nature enter her room it was Qui-Gon. "Anakin."

"Qui-Gon, what is going on? I defeated Sidious, why I do feel the darkness growing stronger. How does this affect Anne?"

"She was his servant, Anakin and despite all your efforts to completely eliminate all his ties to your daughter, there is still a connection; especially since she was only six years old when he first enslaved her. Even now, she still does not have the full strength of a Jedi to countermand his hold on her. You will need to become a Jedi Master and gain full strength of the light in order to help her."

"Qui-Gon, that is something that I cannot do." Anakin lowered his head in shame.

"You must or Anne will fall into darkness. You are the only one who can help her; she loves you and trusts you emphatically."

Anakin sighed deeply and knew what he must do, although it would be incredibly hard, but he knew it would be his trial and his alone.

xXx

After being gently shaken awake, Anne she opened her eyes, seeing her father leaning over her, brushing her long blonde hair from her face.

"Did you want to eat dinner?"

"_How long have I been asleep, father?"_

"Since lunchtime, come."

Anne stretched her arms above her head and yawned.

"_May I have a ride?"_

Anakin sat on the bed and she crawled on his shoulders and played with his long hair. Anne noted how worried that her father was; only she could notice his deepest feelings, to the world he appeared calm and relaxed. She could always sense his inner turmoil. _"I love you, father."_

"And I you, young one."

"_There's something bothering you isn't there?"_

"Yes, but don't worry about it."

Anne sat beside her father smiling at both Luke and Mara Jade.

"Feeling better, Anne?"

"_Yes, thank you, Luke."_

Anne ate her dinner listening intently on the conversations; Anakin informed Luke that he had a trial of his own to follow, alone. He would be leaving Anne in their care.

Anne stood to her feet so fast that her chair clattered to floor and she sent an emphatic _"NO!"_ through the Force; it was so strong that the dishes on the table shook.

"Anne, calm down and pick up your chair, young lady." Anakin ordered.

"_No, Father. I will not stay here while you go off by yourself."_

"You will do as I tell you, Anne Marie. Now, pick up your chair and sit."

"_No."_ Anne looked Anakin dead in the eyes while she crossed her arms.

"This is your final warning, Anne Marie Skywalker, you will do as I tell you or else I will find another way to motivate you to behave."

Luke's eyes grew large as Anne gathered the Force and simultaneously picked up the dishes and slammed them down on the table so fast that two Jedi and one former Sith Lord dove under the table while the shards shot out in several different directions. Anne ran out of the dining room and into night air.

Luke looked into Anakin's face and saw his eyes darken and he picked up his chair and stalked outside.

"Let me help, Mara."

"She's a regular chip off the old block, you know?"

"Yes; her temper is vicious."

Anne sat up in the large tree, sobbing. It did not take Anakin long to find his daughter.

The overwhelming sadness emanated from Anne and Anakin found his anger dissipating. He leapt on large branch and sat next to Anne as she crawled into his lap hugging him tightly.

"Anne, this is a trial I must complete alone, it will be very perilous. You will be much safer with Luke and Mara."

Anne continued to cry as her fear of losing her father continues to overwhelm her. Anakin sighed deeply as he gathered her into his arms, leapt to the ground, and carried her back to house. He would have to meditate on this; the pain their separation would cause would be excruciating. Even during the battle of Endor, Anne always remained in psychic contact with him.

Anakin instructed Mara to give Anne a warm bath. Anakin retired to his bedroom, sat on the floor, crossed his legs, and started search the Force for an answer.

Mara Jade bathed Anne; but noted how she did not want to play or push bubbles around the bathtub; she was hurting.

After drying her and braiding her hair, Mara Jade helped her into her pajamas and escorted her to Anakin's bedroom.

"Say good night and I'll take you to bed."

Anne nodded and knocked on the door. Anakin waved his hand and the door opened.

Anne slowly walked inside the darkened room and noted how cold it was in here, as her breathing appeared as little wisps. Even Mara couldn't help but to feel the Force emanating with great despair and something even viler than that, anger. Deep unrelenting anger that it even chilled Mara to the bone, actually anger was too weak of a word to describe the feelings that were swirling around bedroom like a tornado.

"Leave us, Mara." Anakin ordered none to gently either. Mara's eyes widened with surprise and felt a gentle push away from the door as it slammed.

Anne stood there watching her father and for the first time she felt something a feeling she could only receive from one person, fear. She knew how powerful her father was and sometimes when he became dark, she was afraid of him.

Not as afraid as she was of the late Emperor, but always treaded very slowly on thin ice. Anne remained silent and stood there not moving an inch.

Anakin remained in a meditative state, despite having Anne in the same room with him.

"You are the beacon in my darkness, Anne. I do not know why or how that is. However, it seems that no matter how far I had fallen into the Dark Side you were the only one that managed to bring me out of it. This is why the Emperor hated you and feared you so much."

"_He was afraid of me? How can that be father? I am afraid of him."_

"He was afraid of what you represented, the light. He sought out to destroy you completely either through death or by other means. It seemed that no matter how many times he beat you, starved you or worked you to near death he couldn't completely destroy you."

"_Why?"_

"I don't know; I guess we will have to find the answers together, Anne."

"_I'm going with you?"_

"Yes, besides I know you, and how much trouble you would cause without me looking out for you. You already have Luke, Mara, and even Leia wrapped around your smallest finger."

Anne smiled sheepishly and knew that her father was right, she could get away with far more here than when she was with her father. He was incredibly strict and in her opinion overly protective.

"Go get some rest we have to go into town tomorrow to prepare for our trip."

"_Father?"_

"Mm?"

"_I'm sorry about what happened at dinner."_

"Yes, I know. Just don't let it happen again." Anakin pointed at his youngest as she gulped and quickly kissed him goodnight, but not before feeling a solid smack on her bottom.

"_You know, Dad, you would never need to raise a whip to me, because your hand is more than enough."_ Anne remarked as she rubbed her bottom.

"Get to bed. There's more where that came from." Anne's eyes grew large and quickly exited the room as Anakin lightly chuckled. Luke nearly collided with Anne as she ran to her room.

Luke had finished cleaning the kitchen as Anakin went into the living room to light a fire.

Anakin sat on the floor as he sipped from his whisky. "Would you like some company?" Luke asked.

"Sure." Anakin replied.

Luke loved his father but he still did not know him as much as he would like. If there was, one thing that his father desired more than anything was his privacy. As Lord Vader, he had no problem in getting anything he wanted except one thing and that was freedom. Anakin turned and looked at his son, smiling gently he noted still how naïve his son was; it was no wonder that Mara referred to him as farmboy. It was highly appropriate nickname. One thing that Luke had in spades though was his strength in the Force and the way he could manipulate it without any conscious thought.

"Sometimes I wonder what you've done if you had witnessed all my stunts, would you have been proud? Or, would I have been spending nearly all my time soothing my backside from your ministrations."

"Probably both, my son; I drove Obi-Wan crazy with my stunts as well."

"Uncle Owen was always yelling at me."

"That doesn't surprise me; if you were anything like me than that's probably why he yelled."

"Why didn't he like you, father?"

Anakin thought back to the early morning bringing his mom back from the Tusken Raiders and admitting to Padmé what he had done. It was first act in the Dark Side; he set him on his path to become Palpatine's slave. Maybe he should have stayed on Tatooine as Owen had suggested.

"Owen was a stubborn man and enjoyed farming and the simple life. I always had my head in the skies, even when I was child. I used to frequent the pilot's bars and listen to their stories, sometimes to after midnight. Mom used to get so angry with me, she always say that I was my namesake. Even some of the pilots referred to me as walker of the skies. As Lord Vader I enjoyed the freedom of flying my ship and requisitioning new models."

"What was grandmother like?"

"She was five-three, brown hair and dark brown eyes; her long hair was always up in a braid. Mom was very compassionate and quiet; but at the same time, she could have a bad temper. I guess that's where I get my temper. The one thing she couldn't stand at all though was for people to lie to her, especially her son. I only attempted it once, and never repeated it."

Luke tried to imagine what his grandmother would have done, but nothing seemed to fit. He tried to get his father to tell him, but he refused.

xXx

Anne awoke to see a dark figure in the standing in the moonlight and before she could do anything, she felt a hypodermic needle enter her arm and fell unconscious as the second entity left. The first dark entity left a note and laid it on Anne's pillow.

Anakin awoke yelling for Anne as he felt her presence disappear seemingly without a trace. Luke jumped out of bed, ran to Anne's room, and saw the note his father was holding.

_Lord Vader, _

_Your presence is required at the behest of your dear, sweet, daughter. _

_Your friend, Emperor Palpatine_

**_Author's Note:Thanks for all your kind reviews and I'm sure you are aware that I own none of the canon characters, places, or all things Star Wars related.—Darth Gladiator45_**


	8. Emperor's Games

Anne awoke in a dark gray cell onboard an Imperial Shuttle; she couldn't feel her father's presence or Luke's and Mara's. She was frightened, as she stumbled off the hard metal slab and approached the door. It was locked and seemingly impenetrable. She noted that she was still in her nightgown and her hair was in a tight braid. She sat in the middle of the floor and attempted to meditate so she could send a message to her father.

Anne opened her eyes to see the door raising and a small tray of food slid underneath before the door shut completely. Anne saw a cup of water and a foul smelling soup. She drank the water and was hesitant about the soup, but her father had always told her that she always eat especially if she didn't know when her next meal was coming. The soup was lukewarm, and it had a thoroughly disgusting taste but she went ahead and finished it.

She felt a dark presence approaching her door; she immediately cowered in the corner. The door opened and the entity came inside, she couldn't tell if the entity was male or female, but was tall and lean. The black cloak obscured its face.

"Soon we will be landing and you better be on your best behavior. I would certain hate to have to punish you, especially before we met with our Emperor."

"_The Emperor is dead."_ Anne stated telepathically.

"He has been reborn and will regain everything he has lost, including his servant, Lord Vader."

Anne cried as she knew that she was going to be his slave again and the last time she had been with the Emperor, she very nearly succumbed to his Force lightning.

xXx

Byss was a beautiful planet with glittering, modern cities, and where only the wealthy could afford to retire or spend their vacations. They were very loyal subjects of Emperor Palpatine. The Red Honor Guard stationed here as well.

Dragged to a cold dark dungeon, Anne noted that the slate rock walls and the bars on the windows indicated there would be no chance to escape. After the binders removed, she cried as she landed very hard on her backside after shoved into a cell.

"Milord, the servant has been delivered as you have requested."

"Good." The Emperor rubbed his hands together and then ordered that she cleaned up and changed into a long black servants dress.

"Bring me a whip also." The cruel man ordered.

"Yes, milord."

Anne roughly escorted to a large room and was thoroughly scrubbed and dressed.

Before entering the large throne room, Anne felt a sharp kick to her bottom as the doors opened and she fell to the floor prostrating to the Emperor.

"Hello, my dear; it is so good to see you."

Anne said nothing. Emperor slowly glided over the floor and Anne saw his soft black leather slippers and edge of his black cloak made of the finest silk. He knelt to the young child and enjoyed feeding off her fear, but there was something else there too, a inner quiet strength that his former apprentice must have taught her, she was fearful yes, but had learned to control that fear.

"I see that your father has been training you, he taught you how to control your fear, excellent."

Anne felt a tendril of the Force lifting her to her knees, as she kept her eyes averted. "You are so healthy, even your beautiful skin has a health glow, it is a shame that you will be broken again so soon. If you would agree to be my apprentice then maybe it wouldn't be so necessary."

"_I am already an apprentice to my father; I cannot serve two masters for I love one and would hate the other."_ Anne responded and then cried out as she felt an all too familiar wave of dark force lightning.

After it ended, Anne felt the lashes of a leather whip rip open fresh new cuts on her back. Following the ruthless beating, she returned to her cell and curled up in a darkened corner shivering from the agony and the cold. Anne found little creature comforts in the cell, she had a cold hard floor to sleep on and a thin blanket that did next to nothing to keep her warm. Everyday that passed the beatings became more intense and then dropped off suddenly. No food delivery, no visits to the Emperor or daily beatings, Anne wondered why. As time went on she found that the pain of being lonely was almost unbearable. A small mouse came to visit her in her cell. She had no food to offer the small tender creature. Its presence brought a small weak smile to her face, _"No food here for you or for me."_

The mouse looked up with is small eyes and she attempted to tame it with a mind suggestion_. "I am your friend, please bring me food."_ It was a simple suggestion and amazingly, the mouse and even a few of its larger cousins brought the food to her. It was cheese and large scraps of bread. Anne ate sparingly just enough to sate most of her hunger pains. The mouse remained with Anne helping her keep company and not as terribly lonely. Anne felt an exceedingly dark presence approach her door she put the mouse back into his hole and prostrated to the Emperor.

"You know if you would only submit to my authority, turning your father to the dark side wouldn't be necessary. For you would be my new servant, these beatings, denial of food and of ordinary creature comforts would no longer be necessary. I could also restore your voice, if you so desired."

Anne knew that the Emperor was lying, how often had her father warned her that deceit, treachery was the way of the Sith?

"_No. I will never join you." _Anne replied, keeping her rising anger in check.

"So be it. The next time you will beg for me to train you, especially after you have a certain lessons imparted to you."

There was something in the wake of his evil smiles that frightened Anne to the core, "Governor, she's all yours."

The Emperor left the cell door wide open as a burly man entered the cell, Anne read his intentions through the Force. The lecherous smile said it all. In that instant, Anne found her strength. Although she had no voice to use ordinarily, she found that through the Force all things were possible. As soon as the man grabbed her, she gathered her strength and screamed through the Force. The governor found himself holding his ears as his eardrums burst leaving rivulets of blood running through his hands as he lifted high in the air unable to breathe. A sickening crunch signified his neck snapping and Anne wrapped the Force around herself and completely cloaking her physical presence and ran.

**_Author's Note: Sorry it's a bit short chapter, I am hoping that this slight tidbit to hold you over to the next chapter. I do not own any Star Wars characters. I am merely playing in George Lucas' galaxy.—Darth Gladiator45_**


	9. A Plea Across The Galaxy

Although, Anne was at first panicked at the thought of rape, she managed to slow down enough to get her bearings and figure out a way out of this palace. She calmed herself to seek an answer through the Force. As it flowed through to her mind, it helped her pinpoint an exit. It was after midnight when Anne found her way to the outside gardens. The five moons lit her path through the idyllic gardens, breathing in the heady scent of roses as she smiled. Anne sat in the garden hiding within the bushes and once again attempted to contact her father.

xXx

Lord Skywalker was beside himself with grief and great anger; he kept it in check, refusing to succumb to the darkness within ever again. However, as time continued it was proving to be a very difficult trial. He contacted Ascaron and even a bounty hunter Boba Fett who owed him a rather large favor. When both men arrived on the Executor, Admiral Piett was surprised to say the least. He hadn't seen Ascaron since the defeat on Endor and the imperial party afterwards; Ascaron was quite intoxicated and wreaking havoc on his ship with his foolish pranks. Boba Fett had always been quiet and reserved, merely only speaking as necessary. Although Admiral Piett by his very nature didn't abide by Bounty Hunters, sometimes they were unavoidable, and Boba Fett had always done exactly as ordered rarely taking any chances to earn Lord Vader's wrath.

Ascaron on the other hand was just as effective, but still willful, defiant and liked to do it his way, both men however were very good at what they did. Lord Skywalker arrived on the Executor within moments of these two gentlemen and met them in the conference room.

"Good morning, milord." Ascaron greeted.

"I'm going to make this short and sweet, Anne has been kidnapped. Bring her back to me. Fett, Anne is my daughter, be gentle."

"Yes, milord; it will be as you wish."

"I know what I'm about to ask the both of you is a bit unorthodox, but it might prove beneficial if you two worked together."

"Milord, with all due respect, I prefer to work alone. I am most effective if I don't have others hindering me." Boba Fett protested.

"Milord, even though Fett don't see eye to eye on many issues, I do agree with him."

"The reward for bringing my daughter back to me is five hundred million credits, if you work together. If you do not it is twenty million, if you work separately."

"Milord, that is blackmail." Ascaron shouted.

"Ascaron, you always have had the knack to hit it right on the head. Good day and good luck." Lord Skywalker dismissed them both with a wave of his hand.

Boba Fett marched out of the briefing room as he heard Ascaron call out to him.

"Did you want to work together or not?"

"No." Boba Fett curtly replied.

"Fine."

Ascaron returned to his ship and as Boba Fett started powering up, Ascaron realized that he didn't have a large enough ship to escort Anne home. As the ramp quickly ascended on the Slave I, Ascaron slipped on board. He was unaware, but Lord Skywalker smiled furtively as he watched his best infiltrator board the ship.

xXx

Anne continued to attempt contact with her father, but each time she felt a stonewall. Why was her father blocking her attempts to contact him? Was he angry with her? Did he think it was a trick? Anne felt great sorrow tug at her heart; she was hurting; she needed to feel the warmth of her father's presence, desperately. At one last plea, she sent out a psychic call with all of her might.

It echoed across the galaxy to Kuat where the Executor was getting final upgrades and refreshing on supplies.

Lord Skywalker was in his quarters sitting cross-legged on the floor, meditating. Anne's call resounded through the Force and he felt like he had been punched dead in the face by a Super Battle droid. _"Father, help me please!"_

"_Anne, tell me where you are!"_

"_I think I'm on Byss, I escaped from Palpatine he was going to have me raped. Please help me! I'm scared."_ Anne began to cry.

**_Author's Note: Okay, go ahead and say it, (I know I'm bad for leaving you guys another cliffhanger.) It just seemed to be a good spot to stop. Sorry, for the short update. Once again, none of the canon Star Wars characters belongs to me. Thanks for reading and reviewing—Darth Gladiator45_**


	10. Beginning Descent into Darkness

Former-Emperor Palpatine smiled as he felt a strong nexus of the Force in the gardens, he ordered his red guard to capture the young slave and bring her to him. It had worked, the old man noted, she used her fear of rape to kill the useless pathetic governor who had several disgusting habits, one of which was his affinity for young girls and didn't even matter what species they were, either. He was a perfect tool for keeping the minions in line, especially the ones with daughters. He also knew that Anne and her father, Anakin had a particular strong bond and that Anne would attempt communication sooner rather than later. Soon, she would be recaptured and taken to a secure location; particularly a planet with very powerful dark side emissions. Anne would turn or forever be haunted by the former Sith Lords spirits. She would become insane with the Dark Side haunting and in the process lose her identity once again.

Palpatine smiled everything was proceeding as he had foreseen.

xXx

Boba Fett & Ascaron were loudly arguing and fighting over their assignment. Ascaron was a specialist in infiltration and spying, whereas Boba enjoyed employing his guns and other devices.

"Look, let me go in first, Fett. Anne doesn't know who you are; you will terrify the poor child."

"Lord Vader will not be pleased if we fail this assignment; you will be the one to tell him if we do fail."

"First Lord Vader isn't as bad as all that. He's changed."

"He is a father; if anything he is more protective and less forgiving for failure." Boba wisely noted.

Ascaron rolled his eyes and as the Slave I landed nearby, Ascaron tuned the communicator on the same frequency of Fett's to remain in communication with him.

"Wait for my signal, Fett."

"Don't tell me what to do, Ascaron." With that, the door to the ramp shut and Ascaron shook his head. He heaved his large pack onto his back and headed to the large black palace on the large hill.

xXx

The Red Guard and the storm troopers found Anne hiding within the gardens and she screamed as the Force pike cut a path of black flesh into her back, where she still hadn't fully recovered from the multiple beatings. Anne writhed on the ground as she cried. Two storm troopers gathered her between them and dragged her across the gravel path of the gardens; she cried as it embedded in her tender flesh of her knees and legs. As Anne struggled and fought, she felt the anger beginning to build. Just as she was about to give into the anger and the fear, she remembered her father's words. "The Dark Side is always ready and willing to join you in the fight, young one; but beware of its seduction. For once you start down the dark path; the more difficult it is to find the light."

"You are always trying to escape, my apprentice. We are going to send you to a place, where escape will be impossible."

Anne felt a heavy dose of Force lightning and as she lay on the ground writhing in pain, she felt a needle puncture her skin and cried as the drug was burning her veins and entering her blood stream. She fell unconscious.

"She's all yours."

The black hooded servant gently lifted Anne and carried her over her one shoulder. The servant placed binders around the child's wrists and set her in the cage. After entering the coordinates into the navi-computer, the pilot lifted off the tarmac and disappeared. Boba Fett watched intently and reluctantly informed Ascaron.

Once Ascaron was on board, they followed the ship and watched it disappear into hyperspace. Unbeknownst to Boba Fett, Ascaron knew where the ship was headed.

"So do you want to tell Lord Vader that we failed to recover his daughter?" Boba Fett sarcastically asked.

"No." Ascaron replied curtly.

"I am not going to inform him." Boba Fett crossed his arms.

"Then don't." Ascaron replied.

"Someone has too; if he finds out we have failed from someone else, there will be hell to pay."

"Oh, keep your helmet on will you? I know where they are going." Ascaron replied.

Ascaron pulled up the communicator and requested to speak with Lord Skywalker.

"Good day, milord."

"Cut to the chase, Ascaron." Lord Skywalker sternly ordered, his ire rising.

"We have found Anne, but before we could rescue her the old man had her moved to a new location. Are you familiar with the planet of Malachor 5?"

"Yes, it is an ancient site of the affiliated with the Sith. Rumor has it that it was destroyed, why would Sidious move her there? Set a course for Onderon; inform Luke and Mara Jade I will need their help."

Ascaron saw the slight flicker of red and yellow of Lord Skywalker's eyes. He felt something akin to fear, but quickly quashed it.

"Ascaron and Fett you will join us on Onderon, no deviation from your orders gentlemen or I will be most displeased, understand?"

"Yes, Lord Skywalker." Ascaron gulped.

"As you wish, Lord Vader." Fett responded.

The image flickered off, "You know, Fett, that he really isn't Lord Vader anymore."

"I do not care. Leave me alone, I've just about had enough of you. Don't push it."

Ascaron took the hint, went to an empty bunk, and fell asleep.

xXx

Anne awoke to hear a key inserted into the door of her cage as she backed to the furthest corner and hugged her knees. The lone-cloaked figure placed a tray of food on the floor; it was a tall glass of water, Nubian pears, and some oats.

"_Thank you."_ Anne quietly responded telepathically.

The entity didn't answer just merely nodded its head and relocked the door. Anne quickly went to the tray and quickly drank the water and cried in relief as the taste of sweet juicy pears burst full flavor in her mouth. She also ate the oats and after she finished eating, she burped loudly and giggled. Anne could almost her father gently chiding her to say, 'excuse me.'

Some of her strength had returned and she managed to ease some of the pain that the Emperor's whips and force lightning. The trip to Malachor 5 was uneventful; Anne had felt some kindness emanating from caretaker, but still couldn't figure out who or what it was. She was grateful for the chance to heal and to eat meals again. Anne received a box of pretty river stones to manipulate. She tried talking to her caretaker, but the person never said anything. She tried reaching further in the Force to see behind the person's shields but rebuffed each time. She couldn't sense anything from this person, other than a haunting quietness.

xXx

Luke, Mara Jade, Han Solo and Leia were aboard the Executor anxiously awaiting Lord Skywalker's arrival. Luke and Mara Jade had spent most of the journey sparring both with their lightsabers and with their sharp, sarcastic wit. More Mara Jade's sarcastic wit than Luke, Luke's witticisms were still a little naïve and non-biting. Despite this, he was still able to throw out a few particularly good zingers every now and again.

Leia and Han were also spending quality time together as they engaged recently. However, Lord Skywalker was rather insistent that they slept separately. When Han tried to push it, he received a rather vile glare from his soon to be father in-law and immediately cowered. He almost had forgotten who this man was.

"You know, Leia. I hate to say it . . ."

"Yes, Nerf-herder?"

"I almost wish he still wore that helmet then I wouldn't have to look him in the eyes when he glares at me. Those yellow red eyeballs are really intimidating, especially when you add his height to the picture."

Leia just about fell out of her chair laughing. "The great Han Solo is terrified of my father?"

"No I am not! The man is just so incredibly . . ."

"Talking about me behind my back, Solo?" A deep voice intoned as Han immediately turned around and looked up to see Anakin glaring down at the smuggler.

Han quickly took a large step backwards, "I, uh . . ." Han Solo stuttered.

"Finish what you were going to say, Solo. I am so incredibly . . . what? I'm just dying to know what an ex-smuggler, soon to be son, thinks of me."

Han was at a loss of words, for the first time in his entire life.

Anakin laughed at Han's silence, "I know I'll finish the sentence for you, Solo.

I am so incredibly handsome, smart, and very **powerful** in the Force."

The last part Anakin added a bit of emphasis.

Han nodded his head and remained silent. "What could I say to that?" Han whispered.

After the frivolity ended, Anakin sat at the head of the table and started talking logistics with the others and coordinating an attack and rescue mission.

xXx

The ship landed on a small platform at the former Trayus academy, Anne felt the power of the Dark Side swirling around her and tried so hard to remain steadfast in the Light.

Even the most experienced Jedi Masters would be struggling with the swirls of dark energy constantly buffeting them with their dark promises of power and evil. Her caretaker gently grabbed her wrist and led her to a darkened room. The chamber had a single bed, a hurricane lantern, and a square black mat for meditating.

"Remain here, do not make a sound and do not leave this room, rest."

Anne cried, _"Rest? Here? Please don't leave me!"_

_Author's Note:Another nail biting cliffhanger, I know don't you guys just hate it? As always, I do not own Star Wars or any of its affiliated characters, places, or things. Thank you as always for your kind reviews and critiques, as most of you know already, that I do respond to all reviews unless they are anonymous. –Darth Gladiator45_


	11. Beloved Daughter of the Sith'ari

Anne cried as she crawled into bed, after attempting to meditate but to no avail. She fervently wished that she could feel the softness of her father's large, ebony cloak surround her with the ever so slight scent of leather. She pulled the black wool blanket over her head and tried to imagine it was her father's cloak. Like Anakin, she was often plagued with nightmares and insomnia. After struggling to fall asleep, Anne dreamt that she was in a wonderful place with flowers, waterfalls, and large shaak's gazing on the grass. She was so joyful here; it was a happy place in her dreams.

The caretaker also rested, but knew that soon the Emperor would be arriving and that they would have to clean and prepare for his arrival. It would not be easy, for so many years the place had been abandoned; it was somewhat of a miracle that the structure was still intact. This infamous training center had a reputation of haunted by old Sith spirits that were slain in the halls.

xXx

Luke and his father were meditating prior to starting their mock battle, despite his father's years in the Dark Side of the Force, Luke knew he was a very skilled warrior and always managed to land Luke on his back. Luke had one time felt that he was good with the lightsaber, but now that was in doubt.

"Don't doubt your abilities, my son. You are excellent swordsman, you've managed to learn most of the forms, you just need to decide on one and stick with it."

"Form V Shien / Djem So, I believe is my stronger form of them all."

"Well let's see then."

The two Jedi jumped to their feet and after bowing to each other ignited their lightsabers. Anakin at first held back his true strength and allowed his son to get in a few solid hits but then the blade was fiercely arcing around him and saw the serious look in Luke's eyes. Without warning, Luke recognized that his father was no longer holding back that he was fiercely dueling. Luke smiled.

"What's so funny, my son?"

"You are, you were holding back, weren't you?" Luke said as he parried another strike.

"Yes. I want you to gain confidence in your abilities; you can not doubt yourself especially when on Malachor 5."

Luke nodded his head and acknowledge the wisdom in his father's words and took another vicious swipe at his father's midsection before it was intercepted and the two swords clashed they started to bully each other through the Force. Luke then did something completely unexpected, he pulled a tendril of Force energy, leapt straight in the air, and landed squarely on his father's back, knocking him down and watched gleefully as his father's red blade extinguished and the lightsaber hilt rolled away.

"What in the blazes are you doing?" Anakin exasperated asked.

"Winning." Luke laughed. Until he felt a fierce pull and flung across the room he landed on his feet and saw the hilt of Anakin's lightsaber at his feet, he attempted to reach for it, but it was already floating into his father's hand.

"Don't brag that you are winning, until your enemy is defeated, my young naïve son."

Luke immediately returned to the fighting position and Anakin went on the aggressive, he could barely match his father's strikes. As the two continued to spar, they were tiring themselves and eventually both of them decided to call it quits.

"For the record, Luke, that leap was a bit unexpected, but I ask that you do not attempt that move again, at least on me."

"I didn't hurt you did I?"

"No. Just be cautious who you leap at or you might find yourself without legs and an arm."

Luke looked at his father's face and saw that he was deadly serious and seemed to regret that infamous leap that crippled him on the black sands of Mustafar.

xXx

Anne awoke the next morning to see the caretaker opening her door and handed her a bucket full of cleaning supplies as well as a list of chores.

"We must prepare for the Emperor's arrival." Anne sighed deeply and noted a pair of black pants and a matching shirt. She quickly shed off her soiled dress and dressed in the warm clothing. After eating an apple and drinking a glass of water, and ordered to start in the foyer of the academy. There were several large ladders to pull down cobwebs and to dust the finials of the large columns. It was hard work and Anne felt her muscles stretched and exercised as she continued to work. At least the Emperor wasn't around to crack his whip or light her skeleton with dark side lightning. The caretaker was silent and rarely said anything except to give an order or to inform Anne of the time for her meals.

The Sith spirits surrounded the young girl and would whisper dark promises but Anne couldn't hear them; there was only one that was once exiled and stripped of her power by her own students. She was Lady Traya; she also believed that the Force was an entity that didn't care which side used it, whether light or dark. Although, Lady Traya knew of both sides of the Force and remained vigilant and had regained some of her power, she found the tragedy of Anne Skywalker to be haunting. Unbeknownst to Anne, Lady Traya protected the child from the truly vile and dishonorable Sith Lords. Many here wanted to take possession of young girl and thereby live again. However, Lady Traya forbade them and she was strong enough to fight the spirits. Anne was a beautiful child and the child of the Sith'ari. The Sith prophecy described the Chosen One's fulfillment to rid the galaxy of not only the Jedi but to conquer the Sith as well. Darth Traya understood it to mean the destruction of the Force itself, if there were no Jedi and no Sith, the Force would no longer determine the fight between the two extremes, perhaps it could die. Lady Traya believed it to be the Force itself that benefited the most of the constant struggle between two super powers, Jedi and Sith, light and dark.

xXx

Often Anne would seemingly freeze and felt dark spirits dancing in the dark shadows of the hallway. However, no matter how scared she became she would hear a woman's comforting voice soothing her fears and calming Anne so she could continue her chores. Lady Traya's time would come eventually when Anne would be ready to see her spirit, she was patient; the evening fell and the caretaker told Anne to take a bath and come to the dining room for supper.

Anne immediately jumped to her feet and ran to her small chamber, grateful to be off her knees. After bathing, Anne found a black formal dress made of the finest silk laying on her bed with a matching velvet cloak, shoes and socks. She also found an unusual sight gracing her bed, it was a teddy bear; she grabbed the toy and hugged it as she cried. After being relieved to finding the bear, she quickly dressed and walked to the dining room. The caretaker was pleased that the child was obeying and it seemed the bits of kindness actually made Anne work harder and more diligent. The caretaker was to beat Anne if she did disobey or became defiant. However, Anne seemed to do better on kindness and genuine care than with beatings and denial of simple pleasures such as eating, bathing, and getting rest. Anne ate her dinner quietly, enjoying each morsel.

After eating, she gathered up the plates, but stopped when a droid entered the dining room, taking the dishes from her.

"You are excused to meditate and to get ready for bed. I'll be in shortly to let you know its lights out."

"_Okay."_ Anne approached the caretaker, took the hand into her own, and kissed it.

"_Thank you."_ Anne stated sincerely.

The caretaker nodded and Anne removed her shoes and laughed as she ran down the hall skidding to a stop, when she felt an evil presence in the foyer. Frozen in fear as the visage slowly approached her, wearing a white mask with red accenting its eyes; she felt herself lowering to her knees in homage to this Sith Lord.

"She belongs to me, get away from her. She is a beautiful child that is not to be corrupted. She is the daughter of our Sith'ari, leave her be you will or you seek his wrath." The other spirit responded as the Sith Lord faded back into its abyss. Lady Traya looked upon the child. Anne felt warmth as her head lifted by the psychic touch of the ghost. "Be not afraid, child. Use your fear to make you stronger; no one can enslave you with your consent."

Anne looked into the kind lady's face and asked, _"Who are you?"_

"I am Lady Traya. You are Anne-Marie Skywalker, the daughter of our Sith'ari. A treasure to behold, you are your father's beloved jewel."

Anne cried at the Lady's soft-spoken words and sentiment. Anne continued onto her chamber and after mediating, she crawled into bed and fell asleep. The caretaker had looked in on her and then gently closed the door as her com-link started to beep.

It was Lord Sidious, "Milord."

"Progress on the Academy improves further, I expect?"

"Yes, milord; your chambers are nearly completed."

"Good. Ensure that the slave is at my throne, prostrating. Also have my whip oiled and ready."

"Yes, milord." The caretaker sadly replied.

"Is there a problem?" Sidious eyes flashed a brilliant yellow as his indignation raised.

"No, milord, I will obey."

"You better, or else you will never see your daughter again, do you understand?"

"Yes, milord."

"Good. I will be arriving in one week."

"Very good, milord, safe travels."

The caretaker wiped a small tear and inspected it as it glistened on the fingernail.

Lady Traya realized Anne was in very serious danger, from this Lord Sidious. The beatings would no doubt further weaken the child and without a natural defense of a strong will, the Dark Side would corrupt her and the strongest Sith entity would take possession, without any fight. Anne would have to be very strong not only in body, but in spirit most of all.

xXx

After the heavy discussion of the plan of attack and even a back up plan, Anakin, Luke and Mara Jade left for Malachor it would take several weeks to arrive and have the imperial fleet on standby.

**_Author's Note: Thank you all my dear readers and to those who have left reviews. As always I do not own any of these canon characters, I am merely playing in Lucas' galaxy. Darth Gladiator45_**


	12. Revelations

Luke, Mara Jade, and Lord Skywalker boarded the Millennium Falcon much to Han Solo's chagrin. He tried to protest and even Leia wondered the wisdom behind her father's motivations. Leia wanted to go as well; however, she had many duties to perform to reform the Alliance between the Empire and the Rebellion.

xXx

Anne awoke the next morning to feel a sickening chill enter her room, after making her bed she pulled on her black uniform and knew the next room she would be cleaning were the private chambers of the former Emperor with the caretaker's help. She was walking towards the rooms, when she overheard the conversation between the caretaker and the Emperor.

"You will do as I tell you or you will suffer for your defiance."

"Yes, milord, it will be done as you have commanded."

The caretaker wiped away some tears and turned to see Anne standing there shaking in fear.

"Forgive me Anne; I must obey the Emperor, if I do not do as he demands, you will suffer even more."

"_Please, I'll be good; you don't need to beat me." _Anne pleaded.

"I am sorry." The caretaker walked to Anne, took her by the wrist, and escorted her to the table and after secured in a face down position. Anne cried as the familiar lashing began. After the beating, Anne slowly made her way back to her room, the caretaker told Anne that she was have the rest of the day to recover. Anne continued to stagger as the pain in her back continued flare, increasing intently with each agonizing step. Anne returned to her room to see a ghost of Lady Traya sitting on the chair, she was sadly smiling as she empathizes with Anne.

"_At least it was only a piece of leather and not Force lightening."_ Anne cried.

"You are mute, aren't you my child?"

"_Yes, Lady Traya; the Emperor crushed my voice, because I fell asleep when he told me to remain awake."_

"Have you ever tried to heal your infirmity?"

"_No, I can't."_

"Why not? Did you not heal your father?"

"_How did you know about that?"_

"When one becomes with the Force sometimes we can pickup on echoes of powerful entities, you my dear are very powerful. It is Sidious' wish that you become his servant, he wishes to break you first, however; because you would never willingly join him, that is why you are here, if you are broken and consider yourself unworthy, it will be very easy for one of the Sith spirits to take possession of you. You must fight, not only physically but also with the Force. You cannot allow any of the Sith to take possession of your soul, or you will lose your identity, _**f****orever**_."

Anne cried at that, _"How?"_

"Believe in yourself, have faith that you are the Sith'ari's beloved daughter, trust everything that your father has ever said to you, whether in anger, jest, or as in teaching you discipline. Remember your father's words, young one. Remember his deep abiding love, do not ever forget, even when the pain and the abuse seems to be breaking you. Sidious is nothing without a powerful apprentice; he knows this and is afraid."

Anne saw the truth in Lady Traya's words, but how could a mere nine-year-old child have any influence over the powers of Sidious?

"Treachery is the way of the Sith, Anne."

Anne sighed as she lay on her stomach and cried the tears into her pillow. The exiled Sith spirits felt the child's weakness and wanted desperately to get a hold of her soul and corrupt it, "Even you could be powerful enough to destroy Sidious, if you allow us entry." The dark lords whisper.

Anne heard the dark empty promises and resisted with every fiber of her being and thereby creating a powerful glow of white energy to expand into the darkest corners and thereby banning the spirits from her presence.

The Force Light ability was something that she picked up through her readings through the Jedi holocrons that her father had given her access. She was expressly forbidden to open the Sith holocrons until she became older and more experienced. The caretaker was walking to Anne's room with some salve and some herbal tea when a sudden bright light emanate from Anne's chamber. The caretaker opened the door and found Anne standing on her bed, holding her teddy bear in one hand and outreaching with the other. The caretaker placed the tray on the table and slowly approached the child.

"Anne?"

Anne leapt onto the floor and promptly hugged the caretaker, even as she guided to the bed and lay flat on her stomach. Anne looked at the caretaker's face and although the hood of the cloak covered it, Anne could see that whoever this person was, it appeared to be a lady.

Anne knew that if her father caught her thinking about what she was getting ready to do that he would scold. However, Anne had a hard time relating to this person, and she needed to form a bond. A small tendril of Force energy slowly pulled the hood back and when the hood fell away, the sight surprised Anne. It was a lady! She had dark brown hair and brown eyes and she was petite.

"_What's your name?" _Anne inquired.

"It is none of your concern, young one. Master Sidious will be most displeased that you have discovered my identity through an inappropriate use of the Force."

"_Just promise me you won't tell my father."_ Anne smiled mischievously. Something familiar in the child's smile ignited a small flame of hope, this child was indeed special and the caretaker's façade cracked a bit as she returned the smile and quietly stated her name, "It is Marie, young Anne."

_Author's note:A dozen of fresh hot out the oven Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies to the first person who can tell me how Marie is related to Anne, if there is any relation at all. As always, I do not own Star Wars or any of the canon references. Sorry for the short chapter, but hopefully you will still find it somewhat fulfilling. Darth Gladiator45_


	13. Smuggler's Blues

Han Solo was angry; furious in fact, he went into the pit of the Falcon to complete some maintenance to avoid the former Sith Lord. He was so damn infuriating, why did he have to come aboard the Falcon? He didn't need someone to tell him what to do on his own ship! Han was incredulous that the man had the nerve to pickup a hydro-spanner and start making so called "improvements" on his ship. Leia had also spent time in the galley cleaning and stocking the cabinets of food. Luke when he wasn't working on his saber skills he was meditating and doing some of that infernal "Jedi" business. As he kept ranting and raving, he heard a deep voice speak to him from above.

"Solo."

"What!"

"I wish to speak with you."

"I'm busy!" Han snapped.

"At your convenience, of course; just try to keep it down."

Han wasn't saying anything aloud, he kept his ranting to himself; how could his Lordship hear him?

"Through the Force, Solo; I can feel your deep anger."

Han had enough, now Lord Skywalker could read his mind! Solo climbed out of the pit and saw a cloak of midnight black swirl away from him as the dark Lord walked away.

"Stay out of my head!" Han yelled.

Anakin turned around as Han advanced on him.

"I am not consciously reading your mind, Solo. You are projecting your anger in the Force and I'm sorry but both Luke and I can feel it and its disturbing our meditation."

"Well excuse me! This is my ship! If you don't like how non-Force sensitives live, then get out!"

"I am fully aware that the Millennium Falcon belongs to you, Solo. You do not need to state such an obvious point."

"I don't? Then why are you going around trying to change her? I like her just the way she is."

Anakin stepped closer to the ex-smuggler, "Listen to me, very carefully, Solo. I have no desire to take possession of this ship from you. You must understand my position, my very young daughter is in the grips of an especially evil man, she is on a planet surrounded by the Dark Side of the Force and it's Sith spirits. Anne is in grave danger, I do not wish to get to Malachor 5 and in the midst of chaos not be able to get away because your hyperdrive decides to fail or any of your other precious systems. I do not care what your feelings are for this ship, but do not hinder me and do not do anything that puts my daughter at risk, because if something happens to Anne because of your pride, **_I will never forgive you_**." With the last bit, Han saw the flash of yellow/red eyes filled with pure fury.

A sudden chill washed over him, it was akin to skinny-dipping in an ice-filled lake. Han visibly shivered and decided to tuck his pride away and allow Lord Skywalker to do whatever he wished to improve the Falcon, Han was no fool.

Anakin walked away as Han returned to the pit, now fully subdued and oddly contemplative.

Luke picked up the dark swirls of anger of his father's Force presence, "Han means well, Father."

"He is an arrogant, prideful, ex-smuggler, and I only tolerate him because of you my son." Anakin responded with a bit of weariness.

"He isn't as arrogant as when I first met him, he's actually changed. He loves Leia."

"Mm, she could do so much better, you know." Anakin replied.

"True love knows no societal divisions, milord." Leia responded as she entered the game room.

"Yes, I know, Leia; your mother could have done far better as well." Anakin sighed deeply, his voice filled with regret, perhaps if the two had never met . . .

Luke's voice interrupted his thought.

"Father, please don't continue to berate yourself for what happened, you didn't kill our mother. She died giving us life, and even I believe that she still believed that there was good in you."

Anakin, deeply touched by his son's words and even though he still had a difficult time showing physical affection, he pulled his son into an embrace. Luke felt the strong feelings of love through their bond, here was his father, full of love and compassion; a man full of deep feelings.

xXx

After his pilot landed his shuttle, Lord Sidious slowly descended the ramp, his mind gleefully awaiting his chance to turn Anne to the Dark Side. Despite his advanced age, there was a certain bounce in his step. His servant had done well with the academy it was very clean and when he looked into the tile of the floor he saw his reflection. Marie had prepared Anne for his arrival, she was wearing a black dress, her blonde hair tied into a ponytail and she was sitting by the large chair. Anne felt the darkness pervade the academy and became terrified of his presence. As he approached, she immediately prostrated. Behind her charade of deep abiding fear, lay her true feelings, but she kept them deeply buried. Sidious sat in his chair while Marie brought in cart of hot tea, fresh fruit, and homemade bread.

"Dismissed." He waved Marie off with his hand.

Anne remained on the floor, however, despite its cold temperature.

"Kneel." Anne winced as her knobby knees made contact with the cold floor and kept her eyes adverted.

"You are far too healthy, my apprentice. I can see that even my servant took it easy on you during your beating. Do not worry she will be properly disciplined after I eat."

Sidious noted how Anne kept a tight shield over her true feelings; he would need to bring that down in order to gain access to her mind.

He would offer her a choice first, to bring it down on her own (which he secretly hoped she would refuse) or he would once again mind rape her, which he most thoroughly enjoyed.

"You hide your feelings well, my apprentice. It seems you have found a way to disrupt a general swipe of the mind by solving mathematical problems. Interesting was that something that your father taught you?"

"_No, your majesty."_

Lord Sidious was impressed, so did she pick this up on her own, then? Anne knew that he would soon demand that she lower her shields.

"Lower your shields, my apprentice."

Anne lowered the first set willingly, but Sidious wasn't satisfied.

"Open your mind to me." Sidious demanded.

Anne wouldn't obey; she didn't want to become his slave again.

"It is unavoidable; you will be mine, whether willingly or not. If you decide to rebel and to be defiant you will suffer greatly."

"_It's really too late for that, Lord Sidious; you have kidnapped me from my family and my father, he is my true master. Something you will never be, no matter how many beatings I receive. I will not submit to your cruelty."_

Anne did not disappoint, Lord Sidious stood on his feet dancing a ball of blue-white lightening on his fingertips, and he lifted Anne into the air while simultaneously pumping her full of his lightning. She cried out but a tighter shield formed around her core, she was using his power to transfer it to a tighter shield and the more pain she received the stronger the shield became. It was something that Lady Traya had taught her to counteract Sidious' powers. She had suffered the indignities of having her Force ability stripped and in that great loss, she was able to find away to counteract this using the power of her enemies to form a tighter defense and it was in this loss that she was able to gain this powerful knowledge.

Anne passed out from the agony and Sidious knew he would have to find another way. When Anne awoke she was lying on her bed, her body shivering from the cold, she was running a high temperature. Marie did everything she could to bring it down, but to no avail. Marie's back had felt the Emperor's rage and fury.

After seeing to Anne's care, Marie left to return to her quarters. Lady Traya's spirit was sitting in the chair. "You were once Jedi, were you not?" Marie was startled at the sound of the smooth lady's voice.

"Long ago, I was spared."

"Who spared you?"

"It matters not, milady."

"Oh, but it does matter, you feel a connection to the child, but do not understand the depth of such a bond."

Marie sighed as she removed her dress and pulled a clean nightgown over her head. Lady Traya saw the angry red slash marks on Marie's back and knew that those wounds ran deep and would take a long time to heal if it was even possible.

_Author's Note:Sorry for the delay my friends, real life has been interfering with my creative process. Thank you for all your support. As always I do not own any of the Canon Characters in Star Wars.—Darth Gladiator45_


	14. Memories of a Maiden & a Dark Lord

Author's Note:This is a bit of a back-story of Marie's character; I will resume the rest of the tale in the next chapter.

Marie tossed a cushion onto the floor and meditated, thinking of a certain Dark Lord of the Sith, that showed her compassion, tenderness, which was a strange in of itself. Marie knew that he was to kill her; she was on Vjun working as a maid in the castle. She was once a Jedi padawan; her master sacrificed his life as he boarded her onto the last civilian shuttle leaving the planet. The Clones were attacking the Jedi and murdering their generals. Marie remembered feeling the violent severing of her bond with her beloved master. It was excruciating pain, she lay stunned in her quarters for days after the fact, and all she saw was darkness and all she felt was hate. Marie literally put all her efforts into work and even the other servants alienated her, because they knew that she was a padawan and therefore refused to have anything to do with her.

Her room in the dark castle was near the kitchens and away from the other servants. Memories continued to flow as Marie continued deeply meditate. Dark memories of pain and suffering, she wished for death daily. That it would just come and claim her pathetic excuse for a soul. Years of toiling daily took away her soft hands, added scars on her back from the beatings. She was passively quiet rarely mumbling more than a few words daily. She had even forgotten the Force, its warm reassuring presence that had always comforted her during those hard missions and that of her Jedi Master.

One day she overheard a conversation between the two head servants, they were whispering about the Emperor's Emissary, he received this castle and all of its property including the servants. Marie continued to listen as she scrubbed the floor, despite the great pain to her knees.

Marie heard the rumors about the Emissary; he could kill without lifting a hand. He was very tall and imposing, from what Marie could tell when she sneaked peeks at the Holonet. It had been so many years since she had felt the presence of another Force user. When Lord Vader did arrive and she felt the distinct stirring of the Force. It wasn't until that dark day when she turned 20, seven years after the purge, did she feel the dark swirling of another force user nearby that she remembered the feelings of the Force. Like a moth to flame, she sought out that entity; the power flowing off him was intoxicating and nearly suffocating. Despite the warnings of staying away from Lord Vader, continued to serve him when her chores were completed.

In most ways, she was still a child, despite being nearly twenty. She remained in the shadows, secretly seeing to his needs. Marie turned his bed down at night, made sure his oxygen in his rooms were set to maximum levels, he had worked very hard to create a suite of rooms to where he could shed the armor that sustained him. Despite the burned scar tissues, and the artificial legs and arms there was something in his blue eyes that mesmerized her; she only looked into his face when he wasn't looking directly at her.

Despite all the rumors to the contrary and the whispers of the other servants, Marie only felt a growing respect and an admiration. He wasn't the bogeyman that everyone had said he was that he murdered indiscriminately and tortured without remorse. It was strange but sometimes she could feel warmth about him a tentative tenderness. As Marie went to his chambers acting on a direct order, the other servants laughed and teased her saying that she was going to become his slave. Marie smoothed her dress and made sure that her hair tied back away from her face. Before she could knock the door slid open to reveal the Dark Lord sitting in his black leather chair, he was wearing black Jedi uniform with a black cloak obscuring his face.

"Milord?" Marie knelt before the man, keeping her eyes carefully averted. Marie felt him touch her hair pulling it free from the ponytail holder. As he gently lifted her head, she kept her eyes submissively lowered. She was not permitted to look anyone of importance in the eyes, she learned this very early as her life as a maid.

"What is your name, milady?" the Dark Lord whispered.

"It has been a long time since it has been spoken."

"I wish to know."

"It is Marie, milord."

"Meaning Bitter Sea, it is interesting that you are on a planet with toxic waters."

"Yes, milord I suppose it is."

Marie was beginning to wonder why she was in his chambers having an intimate talk with Lord Vader, she needed to return to her chores.

"You will remain here with me for the rest of the evening, do not worry about your supervisor, I will take care of him."

"Yes, milord." Marie knew that her supervisor would probably have her beaten for ingratiating herself to the Emperor's Emissary. Lord Vader had a secondary order to kill all Force-sensitive, but this young girl was innocent and reminded him of Padmé that he was having a difficult time obeying.

"You have been in my quarters seeing to my needs, why?"

Marie's lips trembled and tears filled her dark brown eyes, "I didn't mean to offend you milord, I will stop immediately. Please forgive me." Marie immediately prostrated to his feet.

"I do not wish you to stop, Marie. I only want to know why."

Marie whispered, "You aren't like the others, milord. You feel things deeply, passionately. You have the Force as your ally; I had forgotten what it felt like, to feel life flowing through my veins to feel the comforting presence of another like myself. The others do not understand and are afraid of me, even as they beat me and humiliate me. I do not wish to complain milord; I merely wish to be with you, even if it is to serve you."

Lord Vader gently helped the young servant off her knees and to her feet. She kept her eyes adverted, just remained focused on the hilt of his lightsaber it was a beautiful silver with black handgrips, obviously finely crafted. It had been a long time since she saw a lightsaber or even felt one in her hands.

It surprised Marie when she felt the Dark Lord slip behind her and encircled her small body. She saw the lightsaber hilt placed into both of her hands and was mesmerized as the dark red beam shot forward. He held her hands as he guided her hands into a few swipes with the blade. The moment was over and she immediately thanked the Dark Lord, gently kissing his gloved hands. Lord Vader hooked the lightsaber hilt on his belt and gently pulled the young servant into an embrace. Marie was shocked and felt weak and completely unworthy.

"You are not unworthy, Marie. Please look at me."

"I am not allowed milord." Marie eyes misted over it had been so long since she had felt a tender touch or had dared to look anyone in the eyes. Lord Vader raised her chin wiping a way a stray tear and then asked Marie to open her eyes.

Marie opened her eyes and saw the beauty of the man before her, his dark blue eyes that held her in pure rapture. Marie lifted into his arms and carried to the large master bedroom suite, a large silver platter was set before her and she saw the beautiful meal of steak, medium-rare, fresh vegetables, and large piece of chocolate cake for dessert.

Marie picked up the fork and knife and started cutting into the meat, savoring each bite. Lord Vader wasn't eating; he enjoyed watching the young woman eat with pure ecstasy. After finishing the meal, Marie watched as Lord Vader pulled out her chair and lifted her to her feet. He guided her into the large bathroom and Marie watched as the warm clear water flowed into the black tub.

"After you have finished bathing, meet me in the bedroom and do not be afraid." Marie sighed deeply as she stepped into the warm waters and relaxed nearly falling asleep. She dressed into a dark purple silk nightgown and matching robe. She left her hair down, since she knew that Lord Vader would just remove the ribbon anyway. Marie knelt beside the Dark Lord, "Do you trust me, Marie?"

"Yes, milord, I trust you."

Lord Vader sensed no deceit from the young Force-sensitive and as he listened to the Force he had gained a new future, a child that had blonde hair and blue eyes, but had the gentleness and the strength of not only her mother, but of him as well. He knew that if he were to impregnate Marie that he would have to send her away. Marie was gently laid onto the bed as the Dark Lord laid beside her using the light side of the Force to gently lull her into a twilight sleep to enjoy the sensations of love making but without the pain and anxiety of a first time.

Marie awoke and left a note for Lord Vader and taking his small satchel of gems. She wrapped a midnight cloak around her small form and left.

xXx

After finishing meditating, Marie found that her wounds had healed and she felt a presence in the Force, whoever he was, he was very powerful and worse, angry.

**_Author's Note: Thank you for all your kind reviews and I do hope you enjoyed this latest installment, as you are fully aware none of the canon Star Wars characters, places belong to me.—Darth Gladiator45_**


	15. For the Love of Anne

Anakin meditated feeling the pulse of the Force surround him and the others on the Falcon. They were nearing Malachor 5, the planet rumored destroyed in the Jedi Civil War. He delved deeper into the Force and felt three distinct Force presences, one was the bright light of his beloved daughter, Anne. The other was a familiar presence but one that he had long forgotten. He also recognized the sickening presence of his former master, Sidious. There were also many Sith spirits circling the Trayus Academy, and one distinct presence that surrounded his daughter and this other mysterious woman.

"Excuse me your lordship, we are about to enter Malachor system."

"Thank you Solo; I am aware." Anakin responded rather sarcastically.

Han sighed deeply as he rolled his eyes and continued to the cockpit. Luke felt the tension flowing off his father's large shoulders and wished there was a way to eliminate it.

"Your compassion for me is unparalleled my son. Thank you." Anakin patted him on the back.

xXx

Anne was kneeling in the corner of Emperor's chambers as silent tears flowed from her blue eyes and being soaked into her slave's dress. It had been several days since she eaten. Anne had befriended a rodent, who brought her bits of food when he could find them, but the Emperor always had the droid dump the leftover food into the trash compactor. Marie several times attempted to bring the girl food despite the Emperor's commands of denial of all meals to the child. Marie had paid the price more than once; she was weakening, both spiritually and physically. The call to the Dark Side was becoming stronger and more seductive. Marie lay on her bed when Lady Traya approached her, "You will not defeat Sidious this way, he is far too powerful, Marie. Let me help you, if you do I can help you defeat Sidious and save your daughter."

"Huh? My daughter is missing, Sidious promised to help me find her if I would obey him."

"He is lying, he knows."

"He knows what, Lady Traya?"

Lady Traya edged closer to Marie, "Search your feelings, think about the child who you have been protecting, who you have been taking care of, this child Anne is your daughter."

Marie was at first astounded, "Anne is my daughter?"

"Yes."

"How is that possible? I had sent her to live with some relatives on Coruscant; they told me that they would take care of her." Marie's normally docile attitude changed and she became righteously enraged, Lady Traya basked in the anger and reminded Marie that she needed Traya's help if she were going to defeat Sidious. Lady Traya felt the beckoning of Marie's psyche and the feeling being wholly human again was a rush.

xXx

Anakin who had always had the innate ability to feel the Dark Side ever since that murderous day at the Tusken Raider camp, felt the inexplicable shift of power to the darkness, the nexus had just became stronger.

"Solo, get out of my way!" Anakin pulled Han out of the pilot's chair and pushed him to the floor.

"Hey! This is my ship!"

"Shut up!" Anakin ordered and Han immediately cowed and left the cockpit. Anakin flew into the old wreckage with speed and diligence. Once they landed on the platform, Anakin immediately bounded out of the cockpit knocking Solo down again and grabbing Luke's arm. "Come we don't have much time!"

Luke felt a bruise starting to form on his arm as his father's grip was tightening. When they entered the academy, they heard the clashing of lightsabers and looked at each other quizzically. Luke and Anakin gathered the Force around them and saw a battle-taking place between a young woman and Darth Sidious. It apparently had been going on for some time; Anakin felt a strange feeling of déjà vu.

Anne was huddled in a corner when she saw a two entities enter the chamber, she felt her father's presence but thought she was imagining things until the red lightsaber ignited, quickly followed by a blue one. Anne immediately rushed to the taller figure yelling with the strength of a Force scream, _"Daddy!"_

Anakin knelt to the running youngling and cried as she leapt into his arms. He cried with relief as he hugged Anne hard to him and showered her face with ardent kisses. As Marie batted Sidious, she yelled out to Anakin, "Take her! Get out of here!"

Mara Jade chased down both Anakin and Luke and was surprised when Anakin turned around and handed Anne to her.

"Get out of here, protect Anne!" Anakin ordered as he ran to Marie's side. Luke leapt behind Sidious.

"Three against one? This is hardly fair; of course I didn't expect anything less than from my old apprentice."

Anne cried as Mara Jade took her away from battle, _"Please Mara, I've got to save them."_

"Lord Skywalker said to get you to safety, Anne."

Anne managed to slip out of Mara's arms and ran to the chamber. Sidious was over-confident in his chances of survival; he was completely unaware that Lady Traya was guiding Marie's sword hand. Anakin sensed the dark presence in the lady's Force-signature. He was beginning to believe that she was being possessed, especially since he could pickup the language of the Sith spewing from the lady's mouth as she continued to pound on Sidious. Anakin and Luke continued the dance of death around Sidious, Luke's blade severed Sidious' sword hand. As the former Emperor fell on his back and had three lightsabers at his throat.

"This I had not foreseen, that three fools would take me down so easily."

"You are the fool, Lord Sidious." Marie growled as Lady Traya had completely taken control of the young maiden. She then reached out with her hands and painfully started to remove his life Force and add his strength to her own.

Luke and Anakin were astounded they had never witnessed such power and pure hatred flowing from this young woman. However, it wasn't power that fueled the hatred; it was something altogether different. As Sidious lying writhing on the floor, Luke and Anakin sensed a feeling of fierce protectiveness strangely mingling with love. Love for a child, love for Anne. That was what fueled the power, when Sidious' finally died, this time permanently; Marie opened her eyes to see a tall devilishly handsome Jedi wrapping his arm around her waist supporting her. There was also a young man and Anne.

"Are you okay?" the young Jedi whispered to Marie.

"Yes, I believe so."

Anne wrapped her arms around Marie, and softly called out Lady Traya's spirit out of Marie. Marie immediately collapsed as Anne crawled on top of her chest and placed her hand on Marie's forehead. Lady Traya resisted, but she too loved the child. Anakin searched the surrounding area with the Force and something was amiss. "We need to get out of here right now!" Anakin and Luke simultaneously yelled.

"Go Anne, get out of here! Leave me!" Both Lady Traya and Marie yelled as one.

"_Nooooooo, I've got to save you!"_ Anne yelled through the Force.

"You already have, you are important you must survive!"

Anne screamed as her father picked her up and ran followed by Luke and Mara Jade.

"_Mommy! No! Please!"_

Marie sent all her love and compassion to Anne as she gathered the Force around her and the bomb that was set to explode, she would sacrifice herself so her child could get away and slow the impact of the explosion until they were safely away.

"Solo! Meet us at the South Entrance; we are going to need a fast lift off!" Anakin yelled through the commlink.

Han maneuvered the Falcon and dropped the boarding ramp as Anakin, Luke and Mara Jade leapt aboard the Falcon.

Anne cried as they lifted off and clung to her father as if her life depended upon his strength. Just as seconds before Malachor 5 exploded in a fiery ball, a woman leapt aboard the retracting boarding ramp, clinging desperately to the hydraulic lift supports. Mara Jade urgently reached out and grabbed the wrist pulling the young woman on board. "How?" Mara Jade was flabbergasted and lady was smiling and said simply, "At the last possible moment, Lady Traya, gathered her ghostly energies as well as those of the other Sith Lords and created enough energy to release me. She did impart several lessons and teachings which I will have to speak to your elder Jedi."

**Author's Note: To my dear friends who guessed that Marie was Anne's mother you each get a dozen fresh Tollhouse Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chip Cookies: _Son of Anakin, Miss Naye, Lady Keira Skywalker, Miss AZ, Stephanie C, and Mylinda Antoinette._ None of the canon places, things or people is mine; they all belong to George Lucas. Thanks for your kind reviews, Darth Gladiator45.**


	16. Spiritual Vacation

The aftermath of the pure chaos of the battle on Malachor 5, left the crew of the Millennium Falcon exhausted and for some it brought back too many memories of the Dark Side. Anakin remained in seclusion, refusing food and company, even that of his daughter, Anne. He pushed everyone away and sat in meditation brooding over the near cost to his soul, again. His strengths were always there, but so were his weaknesses. Anakin felt the call of the Dark Side to be so tempting, especially after spending so many years answering to its power, nearly enslaved to it again.

Anne was also suffering she was so tied to her father, that she felt his pain, doubt, and hatred. Even though she knew he tried so hard to block the transfer she was still getting a solid link. He had nearly surrendered to his feelings of hatred and anger once again. She would only eat if someone practically spooned the food into her mouth. Marie cared very deeply for this child and noticed how depressed she was, despite being rescued.

Luke and Leia also couldn't shake the darkness that pervaded the ship, Anakin's feelings were very powerful and it was affecting everyone. But everyone was leery in confronting the Dark Lord. Mara was affected but not as strongly as the others, she sensed the pain and the eerie silence that seemed to linger in the air.

Even Han Solo, who was not Force-sensitive, was uncharacteristically silent, but he was starting to get annoyed. He wanted to go into Anakin's chamber and punch the Dark Lord dead in the face, but knew that wasn't wise.

Anne awoke and found Han Solo sleeping in the pilot's chair; she gently touched his arm waking the smuggler. "Mm, what's up?" Anne smiled and handed Han Solo a picture she had drawn. "Very pretty, it looks like Naboo; I've only been there once, when I was kid. It had lovely waterfalls and the air smelled like flowers. The place radiated peace, before the Emperor took over that is."

"_Let's go there."_ Anne sent telepathically.

"No, Lord Skywalker wants to return to Coruscant. He was rather insistent, I'm afraid."

"_Change course, he won't know."_

"You want me to disobey a direct order from the commander of the fleet? Kid, listen, I care for you and all, but I don't have a death wish."

"_I'll take the responsibility."_

"Anne, please don't ask me to do this." Han sighed.

"_We need to go to Naboo, the Force told me, and I won't lose my father to the dark side because you are afraid of him."_

"Damn right I'm afraid of him, in case you haven't noticed he spent nearly twenty years being our greatest enemy and chasing us through the galaxy."

"_I'll take full responsibility, please do this for me and I'll never ask for anything again."_

Han sighed deeply and pointed at Anne, "Kid, I better not regret this. Do you understand?"

"_Yes, thank you Han."_ Anne jumped into his lap and hugged him.

"Okay, okay, get out of here." Han set her down and Anne ran from the cockpit nearly colliding into Luke.

"Anne? What's going on?"

"_Nothing."_ Anne smiled innocently and mischievously simultaneously.

"Anne." Luke crouched to his youngest sister and looked into her blue eyes.

"What are you doing? You're up to something, little sis and I want to know."

"_It's a surprise."_

Luke released Anne as she continued her way to the galley, she saw Marie pulling out some fresh fruit, coffee, and milk. Anne cleaned up her crayons and paper and put it away. Marie smiled at her daughter and the little girl had some more color added to her face, she looked better and seemed calmer in a sense.

After eating breakfast, Anne went to her father's chamber and gently knocked on the door. She was holding a tray of fresh fruit and a carafe of coffee.

"How many times, must I tell you Anne, that I'm not to be disturbed? Now leave." Anakin replied with a tinge of anger.

"_No."_

"Don't you tell me 'no', Anne Marie. Don't make me come out there and teach you a lesson in obedience, young lady."

"_Well if you did at least I could see your face and you could stop all your brooding for at least the time you took to teach me a lesson in obedience."_

"You are walking a fine line, Anne Marie Skywalker; I will not tolerate disobedience even from you, young lady. This is your final warning, if you do not leave; prepare to deal with the consequences."

Anne left the tray with a drawn picture of herself and her father standing on a beach with large waterfalls in the distance. She knocked on the door with the Force and hid in the shadows as her father opened the door glaring and nearly kicked the tray, then he saw a wonderfully drawn picture and as he picked up the picture he saw the tray of fruit and the coffee. He picked up the tray and slammed the door shut. Anne smiled in the darkness of the shadows and silently crept to her room.

xXx

Anakin held the picture that his daughter had drawn as he sipped on his coffee and ate the fruit. Despite everything that had happened and even the shutting off the bond he had with Anne, she still loved him, it was obvious by the quality of this drawing, he felt a strange prickling of tears as he looked deeper into the picture and felt the emotions that Anne was feeling as she had drawn the image of father and daughter together. It was her love and devotion that she had for him that continued to save him not only of his inner demons, or of the dark side, but mostly from himself. He remained in his cabin and at dinner decided to step out of the room. He had showered, shaved, and smelled nearly human again. Anne was playing halo-chess with Artoo and the droid was allowing her to win.

"_Daddy!"_ Anne excitedly leapt into Anakin's arms smearing his face with little kisses. Anakin sighed deeply as he felt the warmth of love emanate from his daughter.

Anakin sensed a subtle difference in the ship; he put Anne down and continued to the cockpit, where Han and Luke were talking.

"Good evening, father." Luke greeted.

"Son, why haven't we reached Coruscant yet? Are we off course? What's our heading?"

"Oh, here it goes." Han sighed deeply.

"Here goes what, Solo? I told you to go to Coruscant; we should have arrived there hours ago, what's going on?"

"We needed a vacation, a place of serenity."

"Who decided this?" Anakin put his hands on his hips and glared at the Corellian.

"_Daddy, don't be mad at Captain Solo. It's my fault, I asked him to change course."_

"Oh really? Since when does a Captain listen to a little girl?"

"She was really convincing, Lord Skywalker. She said that the Force told her to change course and who am I to deny a nine year old padawan?"

"I will deal with you later, Solo. Anne, go to our quarters."

"Father, she means well don't be so hard on her." Luke implored.

"You stay out of this, she needs to learn her place and making command decisions is not among her skills as of yet."

Anne knew that her father was more than just irritated, he was angry. She felt his anger but knew that it wasn't as terrifying as that of the late Emperor. The butterflies fluttered in her stomach as she continued to their quarters, she sat on the edge of his large bed, knowing that quite possibly that it would be awhile that she would be able to sit comfortably. Anakin opened the door and saw how brave Anne was being; she was afraid, but willing to accept whatever consequences he would deem necessary.

"You are in very deep trouble young lady. You have sought to take it upon yourself to make a command decision by altering course and directly disobeying me. You are not only my apprentice but my daughter and you must learn to abide by my rules and decisions. Do you understand?"

"_Yes, I do, father, but do I not also answer to the call of the Force? Do I not have an obligation to obey its will as well? Especially when the Force deems it necessary for plans to change, my father and my mentor needs a vacation. He is slipping back into darkness; he feels anger, hatred and most of all a great haunting sadness that has driven him from me and his family. I disobeyed you and I know you will punish me for it, I accept the consequences. But I also ask that we continue our present course, my father needs time to heal."_

"If you had only expressed your feelings to me, Anne; perhaps I wouldn't have been so irritated, but instead you defied me and that I cannot have."

"_Yes, I defied you, but it was only because I love you so much."_

Anakin looked into his daughter's sweet face and knew that she was right, but he also knew that he would have to discipline her for her deceit and her outright defiance.

"This will hurt me more than you."

"I wouldn't count on it, father." Anne smiled as he sat beside her and pulled her over his knee.

xXx

Luke and Leia watched as Anne walked to the refresher to take her shower and dress for bed. She was walking awkwardly and they saw the traces of tears from her eyes. "You know I feel her pain." Leia replied.

"Yes, so do I; quite literally."

"Are we allowed to heal her?" Mara asked.

"No. Do you want the wrath of our father on our heads?" Luke smiled.

Anne came out of the shower and approached Leia with a pair of hair ties and a hairbrush.

"_Leia, can you braid my hair?"_

"Sure."

Leia tried to ease Anne on her lap, but the child refused. _"I rather remain standing if it's all the same to you."_

"Left hand or right?"

"_It was his left hand and another instrument of persuasion."_

"Huh?"

Anne touched Leia's face and transmitted the scene. _"Father doesn't take too kindly on defiant apprentices, remember that, Leia."_ Leia then saw the image; he used his hand at first but then removed his belt.

"Ouch!" Leia shouted.

"So are still headed to Naboo?" Luke asked as he sat next to Leia.

"_Yes, father agrees; he says my sacrifice shouldn't be in vain."_ Anne sheepishly smiled.

After braiding Anne's silky blonde hair, Leia hugged the child and kissed her.

"Good night, love."

"_Night, Leia."_

Luke also hugged and kissed Anne goodnight.  
Solo was wisely avoiding Lord Skywalker, but Anne felt Han's presence in the pit, working on some routine maintenance.

"_Han, I'm going to bed."_

"Good night kid, see you in the morning."

After saying goodnight, Anne hugged her teddy bear to her chest and fell asleep, she fervently prayed to the Force that her father would never have to take a belt to her again, but also knew that as strict as her father was, that one day she would face it again, just hopefully not any time soon. She ruefully massaged her bottom and prayed that the pain would ease by tomorrow morning.

xXx

The Nubian port authority was hesitant about allowing the Falcon to land, but when the face of a former Sith Lord appeared before them, they had no choice.

Leia, Marie, and Mara Jade wanted to take Anne to village that was holding an open market. Anakin allowed it, but gave Anne a very stern warning to behave.

"_Yes, father."_

Anne had never been to market that sold all sorts of merchandise, it was a magical place to be and she felt a great joy just being there. While the ladies were shopping, Luke, Han, and Anakin were looking for a transport to take them to the Lake Retreat that was given to him as a kind of sick reminder of what he had lost in his transformation to Darth Vader. But now he felt oddly at peace, at least the place belonged to him and he kept it preserved. Once the shopping was completed, they boarded a boat and went to the lake retreat. Anne was excited she had never been on the water before at least not quite like this. Her excitement pervaded the entire boat. Lord Skywalker had contacted his caregiver and told her to prepare the retreat for visitors and to purchase food, clothing, and the basic necessities. She had complied and the retreat felt like a home again, especially with visitors on their way.

_**Author's Note:The writers' block seems to be lifting my friends; I really do appreciate all of your kind reviews and support. As always nothing canon belongs to me, it all belongs to George Lucas. Thanks again—Darth Gladiator45**_


	17. Chosen One Forgiveness

The lake retreat was large enough for everyone to have separate rooms; Lord Skywalker prohibited Han and Leia sharing a room without being in the bonds of marriage. The smuggler rolled his eyes at the old fashioned Sith and sighed deeply, but he did both of these things out of sight and hearing of the patriarch. Leia kissed him goodnight as they crossed the hall to their respective rooms. Marie was captivated of the Lord Vader's presence he was still incredibly tall, with graying dark blonde hair and the most beautiful blue eyes she had ever seen. It was his eyes that held his soul, she was certain of this; Anne their daughter was very intelligent and beautiful in her own right. Though she felt Anne's affection, she was still leery of her mom. Marie had suffered much at the hands of Lord Sidious and his empty promises. Marie would catch Lord Vader gazing at her occasionally but for the most part avoided her. Although he was no longer that same person he was all those years ago and had been healed to be nearly fully human, Marie would always think of him as Lord Vader.

Anne was tucked into a soft bed with the moonlight glistening through the windows she heard the gentle lapping of water on the nearby deck. A dark figure shadowed her doorway and without even looking she felt her father's presence. He was walking softly towards the bed, as he knelt down she breathed in his clean scent of his cologne, he gently brushed her hair away from her face as she turned to him. Silence continued to pass as empathic feelings of love and adoration passed through their bond. Anne also felt a healing presence and a soft plea for forgiveness on her father's part. He realized that perhaps he had gone just little too far with his discipline. Anne had already forgiven him and she brought her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. _"Daddy, I love you. I know you didn't mean it. You need to forgive yourself, you don't need to hold on to hate and anger, and you are best father a girl could ask for."_

"Sleep well young one, tomorrow we will continue training."

Anne felt the covers being tucked in around her as he left the bedroom, leaving the door slightly ajar.

Marie was sitting on the sofa gazing dreamily into the fire, sipping on a glass of red wine. She was enjoying the memories she had the night she had left Lord Vader, unknowingly pregnant. He was very gentle and compassionate with her the night they made love. She knew that he could be brutal and cruel, but she never felt any of that, which she was eternally grateful.

"It is I who should be grateful, young Marie." The dark Lord whispered in her ear as she abruptly turned around and found him peering into her eyes.

"Anne is a beautiful child, is she not milord?"

"Yes, not only in mind but in spirit; darkness refuses to cling to her for very long."

"She was conceived in love, milord."

"Yes, ironic isn't it?"

Marie moved aside so Anakin could sit with her on the sofa. "Please sit with me, milord."

Anakin sighed deeply as he gathered his cloak and took a place beside Marie, but still was hesitant to become any closer.

The two sat in the comfort of each other's silence, not saying anything but merely enjoying each other's company.

Marie still had things to discuss with Lord Skywalker, Sith secrets that Lady Traya passed on to her, but she wanted to wait until he was ready for them. The time would come, Marie was certain of it.

xXx

Anne awoke the next morning, just before sunrise and found her father on the balcony staring out to the island on the large lake. She slipped her hand into his and looked up at him as he relaxed. He opened his eyes as he crouched to her level. Lord Skywalker gathered her into his arms as he carried her into the house. As they walked into the kitchen he saw Han and Leia walking hand and hand returning from their adventures that started late last night. Han had thrown a few rocks at Leia's balcony window and climbed the rose trellis to her window, inviting her to some time on the beach.

Han positioned Leia behind him as they entered the kitchen and saw Lord Skywalker drinking a cup of coffee.

"Good morning, it's a good thing that both of you are consenting adults and are of age, or else I would be most disappointed."

The underlying threat was very obvious to both Han and Leia, "Father, you are really far too strict and yes both Han and I are consenting adults. Get over it."

"Get over it? I do not care how old you are, don't back talk me young lady."

Anne could feel the tension and decided to grab a piece of fruit and dance it around her fingertips, causing a distraction. _"Leia, watch this."_ Anne pushed the piece of fruit to dance above her father's head. Han saw it encircle Lord Skywalker's head like a type of halo. He was trying so hard to suppress his laughter. "Young one, I do hope you are not mocking me." Anne became distracted and the fruit bounced off her father's head and Luke caught it as he was passing by to grab a cup of coffee.

"Thanks!"

Anne shrugged her shoulders and went to take her seat at the table to eat. After breakfast, Anne dressed a pair of black pants and an ivory tunic, her father was going to be teaching her some more forms, he was a strict teacher but fair. Whenever Anne did receive a rare compliment, she was overjoyed. While Anne was completing drills as her father gave orders, Marie sat on the nearby bench sewing. Her daughter was quite good with the drills, but when the remote zapped her in the behind for the fifth time, she shut off the lightsaber and crossed her arms refusing to move.

"It takes time, Anne; you keep leaving your left side open, let's try it again."

"_Father, I'm tired." _Anne whined ever so slightly.

Anakin walked over to his daughter and pulled her into an embrace, "You are getting better all the time. Complete this one drill successfully and I will give you a couple days off, with only practicing Force abilities."

"_Okay."_

Anne reactivated the lightsaber and after bowing to her father, the little remote lit up again and Anne went through the form again, this time blocking the droid's blasts, each time successfully.

"She's quite good, it's scary." Marie whispered to Anakin as he stood beside her.

"Anne, is a quick study; her expertise although seems to be learning the Force itself, I believe she will be a great Jedi Sentinel."

After Anne completed her drill, Anakin gave her hug and told her to get a bath.

"_Don't forget two whole days without drills."_ Anne smiled as she left the patio.

"Milord, have you ever thought about healing Anne's infirmity?" Marie asked.

"Healing has never been one of strongest abilities, Marie." Anakin sullenly replied.

"What about Luke?" Marie inquired.

"I do not know if it's even possible. There is no need to give the child false hope, Marie."

"You won't know unless you try, milord."

"Do or do not, there is no try." Anakin replied as he remembered Yoda's words.

"You are being stubborn, milord." Marie replied as she gathered up her sewing and returned to the kitchen.

Anakin meditated as the ghost of Master Qui-Gon approached him, "You can do it Chosen One; you merely have to forgive yourself of your past atrocities and regain the use of the light side of the Force."

"You ask too much of me, Master."

"You are your own worse enemy, Lord Skywalker. Everyone knows this; you are not truly living, merely existing from one day to the next. I agree it's a hard challenge, but you will rise above it, just like you have all your life. I've never known you to give up so easily." Master Qui-Gon smiled as he faded into the Force once again.

"Master Qui-Gon is right, my padawan." Obi-Wan appeared.

"Please leave me, Obi-Wan I have no patience for you."

"Ah, but I have forgiven you and I am also regretful of what I did to you on that fateful day so many years ago; I have lived with the regret all my life. Padmé still believed that good resided in you, even after everything you had done."

Anakin finished meditating and found Anne playing with some glass marbles and swirling them around vertically. It was a magical sight, the child so loved to play and even pull pranks, much to Anakin's chagrin. As he watched, she seemed so content and happy. He gently probed her mind and found a deep well of well-being and love, mostly consisting of her love for him. He knew that Marie had many things to tell him about the mission that nearly killed all of them; she had taken many pearls of wisdom from Lady Traya. However, he wasn't sure he was ready to hear about the Sith'ari legend.

"Father?" Luke gently touched his shoulder

"Son."

"Anne loves to play doesn't she?"

"Yes, she can be quite a handful and very mischievous. Do not let her innocence fool you."

Luke smiled as he watched Anne gather up the marbles and put them in a black velvet bag. "_Hi Luke_." Anne hugged her brother and returned the marbles to her room.

Anakin looked at his son and said, "I will need your help, son."

"You do?" Luke was incredulous, his father needed his assistance?

"I need to heal your sister of her infirmity, but healing isn't one of my greatest gifts, even when I was a Jedi."

"You still are a Jedi, father. In fact you are a Jedi Master."

Anakin sighed, "What kind of Jedi Master would a former Sith Lord make?"

"A great one, you've walked on both sides, your experiences and knowledge are very important and I believe crucial. I've been meditating on the past mistakes of the Jedi Councils and have concluded that Jedi need people and families. I believe that with families in particular that it can strengthen the Jedi and help them gain knowledge to help other people who struggle daily. It will make us more compassionate and understanding."

Anakin sighed and as he released a bit of his regret and guilt, his Force aura brightened. Luke gave his father a huge embrace as well as Anne wrapped herself around her father's waist. The Chosen One was on his way to the light.

_**Author's Note:Sorry for the delay, folks. As always I appreciate your support and all of your reviews. As always the canon characters, places and things belong to Lucas. –Darth Gladiator45**_


	18. To Be Seen & Heard

Anne sat on the beach by the lake, making a large sand castle. She wanted to go swimming but without adult supervision she was resigned to stay on the shore. She had no desire to be over her father's knee anytime soon. After building the castle, she smiled. It looked like Bast Castle, a fun place to visit, but she wouldn't want to live there. Luke and Mara practiced their dueling as Anakin watched and gave each of them bits of advice. Anne saw her father sitting on the bench and she climbed up behind him and put her arms around his neck.

"_I built a sandcastle."_

"That's good. I hope you didn't disobey me and go into the water."

"_No, I do not wish to be over your knee anytime soon, father."_

"Good."

One of the servants of the Lake palace had gone into town to not only purchase some more food and materials, but to catch up on the latest gossip. Verné was very quiet in her duties and while she didn't spread gossip she certainly listened to the whispers. The whispers were describing her newest visitors to the Lake palace and even of the dark one arriving secretly in Theed. Verné could only think of one particular man that constantly wore black and a large black cloak. He's incredibly tall and had a most serious side, although he rarely spoke to her; Verné knew that he was a very powerful warrior. He's dark blue eyes would sometimes turn to a sickening golden yellow with red tinges, Verné only saw this one time, but it frightened her to the core. She knew that there was no way she'd ever want to get on his bad side.

Verné finished her purchases and returned to the boat, when an odd sight graced her vision. It was one of the Naberrie women, "May I help you?" Verné asked.

"Take me to the palace and ask no questions."

"I cannot, milord has forbidden me."

"I do not care, take me or I will be forced to steal your boat." Pooja threatened as she pulled a blaster from underneath her cloak.

Verné sighed deeply, "I do hope I do not regret this."

Anne rushed to Verné to help her bring in groceries and the many yards of fabric that Marie had requested. Marie had picked up sewing in her time away from the Empire and was a fine seamstress. She was also teaching Anne the trade, although the child was struggling with patience at times.

"Anne, tell Lord Skywalker we have a visitor, one that is very eager to meet him."

"_Okay!" _Anne ran through the house to find her father and brother Luke working on a speeder, they were debating some calibrations when Anne breathlessly swept into the room and kissed her father's cheek.

"_Daddy, there is someone here to meet you. She's in the kitchen with Verné."_

Anakin smiled, "We will have to continue this debate sometime later, son."

"Yea, it isn't over." Luke smiled.

Anakin rolled his eyes and wiped his hands on a clean cloth as he scooped up his youngest child and tossed her over his shoulders as she sent laughter through their bond.

Pooja had remained concealed behind her hood and was sipping a cup of hot soothing tea. She wanted to see the whites of Lord Vader's eyes as the life left them. He was responsible for her aunt's death and he didn't deserve to live.

"You are right, Pooja." The dark voice shook Pooja from her thoughts of revenge.

Anakin telekinetically snapped the power cell of the blaster she had hidden so it wouldn't fire even if she decided to pull it on him.

"You have much to atone for Lord Vader; my aunt is dead and so are her children because of you."

"Actually you are only right on one part; Luke and Leia Skywalker are alive and well. But, you are right; my actions killed your aunt she died of a broken heart." Lord Skywalker admitted with deep unrelenting sorrow.

"She loved you! She adored the ground you walked on it was obvious!"

"Yes, I know. I do not deserve any mercy or forgiveness, Pooja. There is nothing that I can do to change it. I can only seek forgiveness and atonement for what I've done."

Pooja saw him sit across from her and gather her hands into his large ones; she saw tears threatening to spill over. "I am truly sorry, Pooja."

"Why did you do it?"

Anakin described the scene on Mustafar, the dark side pumping him full of energy, he saw betrayal in his own wife as he felt that she had brought Obi-Wan to kill him. Padmé didn't want to follow him down the dark path; he was doing it all to save her, but couldn't save her from himself. Hindsight was always 20/20; he couldn't take it back even if he had wanted. When he learned that he had killed her, it solidified his hold onto the dark side and that was all he had, that and the Emperor. It wasn't until he found out about Anne that he started to change not just from the Dark Side but eventually won his freedom from the suit, due to Anne's true love for him as her father. Anakin eventually found about his son and daughter that he created with Padmé. Pooja had come to kill Darth Vader, but he was already dead. All that was left was a man who was just trying to put the pieces back together.

Pooja adored her uncle even though she only knew of him from the moments at her grandparent's house when he visited so long ago. His presence was one of adventure and calmness, now he had wisdom, and sense of serenity that she found comfort.

Anakin was astonished when Pooja came closer to him and wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him as she cried. He sent calming waves of the Force through to her as he rubbed her back.  
Luke and Leia saw the two embracing and smiled at each other. _"Father is getting better all the time."_ Luke telepathically sent to Leia.

"_Yes that he is."_

Pooja was invited for dinner and graciously accepted the invitation, when she looked on her cousin Leia she saw the resemblance so clearly.

xXx

After dinner, Pooja was invited to stay the night, she accepted and both she and Leia talked deep into the night about the Senate and various other politicians, catching up on years of gossip. Anakin saw the gentle scene between his daughter and niece and couldn't help but to smile, those two were so alike it was pretty frightening. "You'd be proud, my angel." Anakin smiled as he whispered to himself.

Anne awoke to find both Luke and her father kneeling beside her, seemingly meditating. _"What's going on?"_ Anne sat up and rubbed the sleep from her blue eyes.

"_Relax, young one."_ Anakin helped Anne to lie back down and put his hand on her head as he gently lulled her back into sleep mode.

"_Ready, Luke?"_

"_Yes, father."_

Anakin put his left hand on Anne's throat and specifically looked through the Force at her crushed trachea. _"Luke, go ahead and see what you can do, while I monitor her life signs."_

Luke also pinpointed the trachea and with the utmost precision healed the trachea to normalcy. It wasn't easy, as the sweat from both Jedi poured from their brows. Two hours later, Anne's trachea was completely healed and once again she would be able to speak. Anakin and Luke hugged each other and left the room allowing Anne to get her rest.

**_Author's Note:Okay, I know this chapter is so very short. I have an idea to bring some comic relief back into the story, I was thinking about bringing the Gungans into this tale, most folks hate Jar Jar Binks. Let me know what you guys think. As always, nothing canon belongs to me, it all belongs to Mr. Lucas. Thanks also for all the reviews they really keep me going. —Darth Gladiator45_**


	19. Friendship

_**Warning:A bit of angst in the next chapter. I am truly sorry for the delay and as you are aware that none of the canon characters, places or objects belongs to me, I am merely playing in George Lucas' sandbox.**_

Anne's throat was sore, it almost felt like someone had force-choked her again, she opened her eyes to see her mother, Marie bringing in a large bowl of chocolate ice cream, it was her favorite. "Lord Vader said you might enjoy this it will also help soothe your throat."

Anne sat up in bed leaning against the feather pillows and gently took the spoon in her hand and ate it slowly enjoying the rich flavors that burst so readily in her mouth. Swallowing the cooling dessert was still difficult but a large smile brightened her face as she saw her father enter the bedroom. He was carrying a single red rose and set it by her bed.

"_Thanks!"_ Anne sent telepathically.

Anakin sat on the bed and gently brushed Anne's bangs from her face and kissed her on the forehead. "Try to speak, Anne; Luke and I healed your trachea."

Anne took another bite of the frozen dessert and smiled as she looked into her father's bright blue eyes and said the simple word, "Daddy." It came out scratchy and raspy. Anakin lifted his daughter into his arms and hugged her as he cried.

"Looks like you owe me, Han." Luke smiled.  
Han and Luke had placed a friendly bet on what Anne's first audible word would be, Han said it would be 'father' but Luke knew it would be 'Daddy.'

"Love you." Anne whispered.

Luke, Leia, and Mara saw the burst of Anakin's force presence explode into a thousand shards of bright light as the remnants of the dark side were completely and utterly destroyed. The true love of his daughter and the expression of her words deeply felt and reciprocated for the first time Anakin could share the love he had for her as his words as he whispered into Anne's ear, "I love you, too."

Anne hugged her father more fiercely than ever, Marie motioned everyone out as father and daughter clung hard onto each other, fully opening their feelings and emotions across their bond, it left them crying tears of unadulterated joy.

xXx

Luke was meditating when Anne tried to sneak up on him, he laughed silently as she leapt on his back, "Luke, you knew it was me, didn't you?" Anne asked.

"Of course, your presence in the Force is unmistakable Anne."

"Yea, that's what Dad says too. What do you think of his presence in the Force?"

"Very pure and powerful, it's as bright as the suns on Tatooine."

"Sometimes its difficult to look at him, his aura is so bright. When he was Darth Vader he was a dark charcoal gray almost black."

Luke smiled at his sister's wise interpretation of their father's previous aura.

xXx

After a few weeks, Anne seemed to have settled into a routine of training and of talking anyone's ear off if so allowed. Anakin also completed a few trials to re-establish himself on the light side of the Force, but he also knew that the experience of the dark side made him one of the few to ever return. He had learned finally to release those old behaviors of that made him vulnerable to the call. Everyone around him was amazed by his change of attitude, he finally felt free. When they returned to Chandrila, Anakin worked feverishly with Luke to reestablish the Jedi Temple, with Anakin's no-nonsense attitude, things were finally coming around and there would be a open house ceremony within a year's time at least that was the goal. Anakin also felt that since Anne was doing well within her Jedi studies, that he would send her to a private school so she could learn how to be with children and interact with them. He felt that she spent too much time with adults and she needed to be a carefree child. Anne was hesitant and even protested quite loudly.

"No! I won't go, father! I want to be with you!" She sulked as she crossed her arms.

"Anne, you will come home every afternoon, it's only for a few hours. It will be good for you to interact with other children your own age. It is only until we find some other Jedi younglings to teach and when the Temple is fully open to accept children."

"But there are others coming, I won't get in the way."

"Yes, I know you won't dear, but you must understand the other Jedi that are coming are older and are unable to keep an eye on you."

"Look, I'm sorry about taking the bike out for a spin without permission. It won't happen again." Anne pleaded.

Anakin sighed deeply, "Anne, you aren't being sent to this school for punishment, consider it a Jedi trial, learning how to interact with children is an important step towards the greater understanding of relationships."

Anne sighed deeply and sent a tendril of force energy to her father's mind which was completely open and she realized that he was only doing this to help her.

"Okay, Dad. I'll do it, but only for you." Anne smiled.

Anakin smiled and pulled her into an embrace, "Thank you sweetie."

The next day, Anne was enrolled into the private school and sighed heavily as she saw the black tartan jumper and the crisp white cotton blouse that came with the outfit. She also had to wear black dress shoes. Despite all the compliments she received of how adorable she was, she would rather be in her Jedi tunic and pants. "The things I do for my father." She sighed heavily.

xXx

The first day of school, Anne awoke to see her mom leaning over her and gently touching her forehead and whispering a good morning to her. Anne wrapped her arms around her mom's neck and kissed her. She quickly made her bed and dressed in the uniform and brought her black leather backpack into the kitchen. Marie had braided her hair and Anakin was sipping on a cup of coffee as was Luke. Anne quickly ate her breakfast and allowed her father to take some pictures of her.

"Have a nice day, dear." Marie smiled.

"You too, mom."

Anakin loaded Anne into the speeder and sped on their way to the private school. "I'll pick you up at 1500 hours. Have a nice day. Love you."

"Love you too, daddy." Anne kissed his cheek and leapt out of the speeder.

Since Anne had already had a tour of the school and met her instructor, she knew exactly where the classroom was located. When she opened the door she saw both boys and girls dressed similarly as she was and actively talking until the bell rang. The teacher Ms. Cartheny, she was a young unmarried woman who thoroughly enjoyed children and their eccentric ways, while she knew that Anne was very different, she had made a promise to treat Anne the same as the other students.

"Attention, class, I have a new friend to introduce to you, her name is Anne Skywalker, please make her feel welcome." The class clapped and Anne was taken to her desk, it was near a window, with a beautiful view of the mountains.

"Now, since this is Anne's first day, I have decided to postpone the mathematics exam until Friday." Anne smiled as the entire class clapped, until the other shoe dropped, "However, there will be additional material for your test." Anne giggled as the class collectively moaned. After Ms. Cartheny completed the attendance, class began. The day went by fairly quickly and Anne was grateful when lunch came around, since it was beautiful day, they were allowed to eat lunch outside. Anne found a shaded tree and opened up her pack. She found her favorite sandwich and some Nubian pears. "Thanks, Dad." Anne whispered.

"May I sit with you?"

"Sure." Anne smiled.

Sadie sat in front of Anne and smiled, "Your name's Anne, right?"

"Yes, and you are Sadie."

Sadie nodded as she bit into her sandwich; Anne noted that the girl was fairly quiet in class. "You don't say much do you?" Anne asked, in an attempt to get the girl to communicate.

"No. I like the silence, I live with nine brothers and sisters, it always so loud at my house. I often go to my fort to read and study, nobody bothers me out there. What about you?"

"I live with a large extended family, but I have an older brother and sister, I also live with my father and mother."

"You seem so sweet, Anne."

"I don't really have much of a choice, my father is very strict."

"My father travels and my mom is raising us, she sometimes loses her patience though."

"Parents mostly mean well though, it's a struggle sometimes."

Sadie smiled and after she and Anne finished eating they went to playground to play on the swings, until lunch break ended. After school ended, Anne found her father sitting in by the speeder and when she saw him she immediately ran out to greet him. Sadie smiled as her new found friend went to greet her father; he was a tall man with flowing dark blonde hair and the brightest blue eyes she had ever seen. Sadie even noticed how much like Anne looked like him, the only major difference was the height and the fact that he was guy.

"Sadie! Come meet my father."

Sadie was not in a big hurry to get home, the only thing that was waiting for her was chores and homework anyway. "Dad, this is Sadie, Said this is my father, Master Skywalker."

"Master, that's an unusual title, what are you some kind of Jedi?" Sadie laughed.

"Yes, you could say that." Anakin smiled as the little girl's face instantly became red from embarrassment.

"Anne, I'll see you tomorrow, 'kay?" Sadie immediately ran home. If her mother would find out that her newest friend was related with a Jedi, she would have a conniption. Her mother was one of the few that hated the Jedi and their powers; she belonged to a supposed secret coalition to ban them from the galaxy. Sadie secretly adored the Jedi and their peaceful ways, she studied them, but kept her admiration of them to herself. There was another reason, why Sadie remained aloof and spent most of her time in her fort, sometimes Sadie could sense moods, find missing objects long forgotten, and often had prophetic dreams. She could also move things with her mind. But the last time she tried any of these things and her mother found out she was beaten within one inch of her life.

Even her brothers and sisters knew of her 'talents' but feared for Sadie's life and wouldn't even tell on her to get her into trouble. It was odd but her siblings were very supportive and loving and she would often tell them when their mom was on the warpath or if she was docile.

Anakin noted that after Anne told of her day, she became uncharacteristically silent, "Anne, honey is there something wrong?"

"Is it true that sometimes Jedi can tell when there is another Jedi around?"

"Yes, why do you ask?"

"There's something about Sadie that calls out to me and when I looked at her through the Force I saw her aura."

"What color was her aura?"

"It kept changing, when she talked about school or things that she seemed happy about it was a very pretty pale blue and it was so calming; but when she brought up her family and how strict her mother was it turned a midnight blue. It's almost like she's hiding it."

"Your insight serves you well; be patient with her Anne, she might come around and tell you about herself as she learns to trust you."

Anne nodded her head and when she returned home, she removed her school uniform and pulled on a long sleeved shirt and pants. She completed her homework and went outside to meditate in one of the large trees. She was swinging upside down when Anakin saw her.

xXx

Sadie smiled as her brothers and sisters approached her, "Well, what kind of mood is mom?"

"Uh-oh." Sadie immediately left the yard and ran into the woods. Her mother had somehow found out about her new friend. Sadie knew that she would have to go home eventually and not stay out all night, but she was so afraid. She hoped that maybe when her sister Lydia would tell her the good news about her mathematics test that maybe she would calm down enough and the beating wouldn't be as severe.

Jo also had some good news about her new role in an upcoming play. Sadie walked home as the sun faded into the horizon. Sadie knew that at the very least she would be sent to bed without supper. But she didn't expect an instant backhand to the face when she opened the door. Sadie knew it was over even before it began. She picked herself up off the floor to only find herself on it again; Sadie attempted to crawl away from her mother's wrath, but knew that wasn't going to happen. She would just take her licks and pray that it wouldn't be like the last time. After the beating, she felt two strong arms of her eldest brother, Ethan picking her up and helping her to bed.

"We tried to pacify mom with our good news and she seemed happy for us, but when she saw you, it was like none of it mattered."

"That's okay, at least you tried." Sadie smiled bravely at her brother, despite her pain.

Sadie lay on her stomach as she felt the soothing water, easing the pain of her wounds. Her sister Jo was always the one to help her after the beatings.

**_Author's Notes:Well, my dearest readers, I'm sure you have decided to move on to better stories, especially since I've failed to update in so long. In any case, I do hope you enjoyed this latest installment. Part of my struggle has been to not make this story anything like my others, but it is proving quite difficult.—Darth Gladiator45_**


	20. Sadie's Woes

Sadie awoke the next morning to find her sister Jo, pulling a fresh clean uniform from the closet. "Come on, Sadie. I'm sure you don't want to be home all day."

"No, I don't." Sadie slowly rose out of bed seething as the bruises continued to throb in agony. She pushed her pains out of her mind and focused on getting ready for class. When she went downstairs into the kitchen, she received an evil glare from her mother. She quietly greeted, "Good morning, mom."

"Be sure to come straight home from school and I better not find out about you hanging out with some Jedi's kid, do you understand?"

"Yes, ma'am." Sadie heart broke but she knew that she couldn't afford to enrage her mother any more than she already was; the previous night's beating was a testimony to that.

"Get going, you don't need breakfast this morning."

"Yes, ma'am." Sadie grabbed her backpack and left for school. The path was slow and meandering and to add to her gloom, Sadie noted that it was starting to rain. "Typical."

xXx

Anne awoke to see her mom opening the curtains, "Good morning, Anne." Anne hugged her mom close and thanked her.

"For what, dearest?"

"For being a great mom, I know that I don't thank you enough."

"You are wonderful daughter, my love; a parent couldn't be prouder, well except maybe your father." Marie laughed as Anne smiled.

"Mom, do you love him?" Anne suddenly became serious.

"Yes, I do; he is a good man. But I don't want to push him, dear. He will eventually come around and if doesn't that's fine too. I know that no matter what happens he will always care for me and will protect me. It is ironic but he is my savior."

Anne kissed her mom's cheek and rushed off to get ready for class, she didn't want to keep her father waiting, for he was not a patient man.

The steady rain dampened Anne's spirits until she saw Sadie walking in the rain,

"Father, please stop. That's my friend, Sadie!"

"Sadie!" Anne called out.

"Hi, Anne."

"Come inside we will take you to school." Anakin offered.

"No, sir I cannot. I do not want to be burden."

"You aren't come before you catch a cold."

Sadie despite her mother's stern warning to stay away from Anne found that she wanted a friend, other than her brothers and sisters, she desperately needed a friend; someone who could understand her special abilities, Anne would be this person, she was certain. Sadie crawled in beside Anne who gave her a warm cloak to wrap herself.

"This is really nice and warm, thank you." Sadie even pulled the hood up it obscured her face and the black fabric had a slight hint of leather.

"Do you like my cloak, Sadie?" Anakin asked as the hood obscured the young girl's face.

"I'm sorry sir!" Sadie immediately pulled it off and shook in great fear.

"Sadie its okay, sometimes my daughter enjoys pulling it on and wearing it, much to my chagrin."

Anne smiled slightly embarrassed, "Well, only because I can wrap myself up into and hide."

"Anne, you should know by now that you can never hide from me." Anakin devilishly smiled at his youngest daughter.

"True."

Sadie enjoyed the ride in the warm comfortable speeder; she had even forgotten her pains to enjoy the happy moments of being with Master Skywalker and Anne. She enjoyed their banter and conversation and was almost disappointed when the familiar grounds of the academy approached them. "Thank you, Master Skywalker, your cloak is very warm and comfortable, thanks for letting me borrow it."

"You're welcome, have a nice day ladies." Anakin waved goodbye.

"_Father, what's wrong with Sadie?"_ Anne asked telepathically.

"_I don't know you feel her pain?"_

"_Yes and not just the physical pain either."_

"_Be her friend, Anne; that's what she needs the most a friend."_

"_That's not a problem, father."_ Anne smiled.

"_I didn't figure it was, love you."_

"_I love you too, Dad."_

Sadie noted that Anne became quiet suddenly and seemed to be holding a conversation, but with who?

"Anne, are you okay?" Sadie asked concerned.

"Yes, let's go to class."

Anakin picked up his cloak and the residual psychic imprint from Sadie, it wasn't pleasant. Even without his Jedi instincts, he knew that there was something terribly wrong with the young girl.

xXx

Velia, a leader of the cult to eliminate all Jedi on Chandrila; was enraged by the actions of her daughter Sadie; it seemed that the child needed to learn a more powerful lesson. Unbeknownst to most, Velia knew enough about the Force to retain her control over the cult. She knew that Lord Skywalker was most protective over his daughter, Anne. Anne would need to be eliminated; she was wreaking havoc with Sadie. It would take some planning, but she would manage it. She would have to first properly discipline Sadie for her disobedience.

xXx

The routine at school continued and at lunch Anne and Sadie went to the favorite spot underneath the trees, since it had stopped raining. Anne noticed that Sadie was hungrily staring at Anne's fruit. "Where's your lunch, Sadie?"

"I was in a hurry and I forgot my lunch." Sadie replied.

"Why didn't you say so?" Anne handed her half her sandwich, the fruit and a couple of homemade chocolate chip cookies.

"Mom made these last night; she was trying so hard to keep my father away from them. It was funny."

"Anne, is your mom strict?"

"No, she's very sweet, believe me my father has it in spades when it comes to being strict, he doesn't need any help you know?"

Sadie smiled, but it was a very sad and troubled smile.

"Sadie, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, you are incredibly blessed; to have people love you and care for you, especially your parents."

Anne scooted closer to Sadie and put her arm around her shoulders, "I care for you, Sadie. You can tell me anything and I will always be there for you."

Sadie felt a gentle warm caress easing her pain. "Don't take this the wrong way, but you are a Jedi aren't you?"

"Yes, actually I'm a padawan, I'm still learning."

"There's something I need to tell you . . ." just then the bell rang and it was time to return to class.

"Tell me, Sadie."

Sadie finished eating the cookie and took a sip of the milk that Anne had given her. "Maybe we will have time after school."

"Okay."

Anne and Sadie ran to class and sat in their chairs and Sadie didn't seethe as she had this morning and she flashed a grateful smile to her new best friend.

xXx

After school, Sadie and Anne walked to the speeder where Anakin waited. Sadie stared at Anakin and quickly ran past him to her home. "She's afraid." Anne cried.

"Yes, but not of me; there is something else that's driving her fear."

Sadie disappeared into her hiding place and cried. She felt her mother's presence and the woman was livid. Sadie felt the darkness pervade her mother and knew that she was about to pay a serious price for spending time with Anne.

Sadie could only pray that the beating wouldn't last too long or be too damaging; the longer that Velia waited the angrier she became. Sadie slowly walked to the house and allowed her mother to grab her arm and drag her to her fate.

xXx

Anakin, Luke met with other Jedi in the council chambers as Anne eavesdropped. However, she also knew that they were discussing the new temple and rooms. As she leaned more into the wooden door, it suddenly opened and she fell sprawled out in front of her father who stood there tapping his foot. "Padawan Anne Marie Skywalker, just what do you think you are doing?" Anne knew that when her father called her by her full name and title that she was in very serious trouble.

"I, uh, uh, wanted to see if you needed any refreshments."

The room dropped twenty degrees as her blatant lie crossed over her lips and she immediately regretted it. The cold air enveloped her and she felt a hand grab an ear. "Apologize to everyone."

"I'm sorry for interrupting your meeting." The council nodded and sent the youngling warm feelings of forgiveness. "You are to go to your room, young one and do not leave it until I call for you, understand?"

"Yes, master." Anne felt two very hard swats strike her backside as she cried out and ran to her room.

"Younglings are always such curious creatures, are they not Master Skywalker?" Corran Horn smiled as he asked the question.

"Yes, unfortunately mine have curiosity in spades."

"You shouldn't be too hard on her, Master Skywalker." Kam stated.

"While I appreciate your council, gentlemen, this isn't the first time she has attempted to eavesdrop."

After the plans finalized, the meeting ended. Anakin dismissed the Jedi and walked to Anne's bedroom. She sat in her window seat with her arms wrapped around her legs; her head was resting on her knees, as she wiped away tears.

"Well, young lady, what do you have to say for yourself?"

Anne knew that when her father called her 'young lady' that a punishment would no doubt be forthcoming.

"I'm sorry I eavesdropped, I'm just curious to know what the temple is going to be like."

"I can empathize with the curiosity about the new temple, young one. However, that wasn't what disturbed me the most about the incident."

Anne looked at her father and noted that he had his arms crossed and was glaring hard at her, "Can you guess what that might be?"

Anne's tears multiplied as she slowly admitted, "I lied."

"Yes, now what do you think that means to me?"

"That you are going to be unable to trust me and that I will have to work hard to regain the trust."

"Yes, now I will leave you to meditate on this while I contemplate a suitable punishment."

"Father?"

"Yes, what is it?"

"I am sorry."

Anakin placed his hand under her chin and lifted it as he stated, "Apology accepted, young one. But that will not deter your punishment."

"I know."

xXx

Sadie was experiencing so much pain at the multiple lashes that she seemed to be having an out-of-body experience; that the pain was happening to someone else. Velia left the beaten girl in the cold underground chamber, the last time Sadie was in this room, she deprived of the necessities, food, water, and warm clothing for the better part of a week. She pulled herself towards the fireplace to watch as the orange-red flames gently licked the log and the remains of her school uniform. It had become bloody and torn during the subsequent beating; she only had a thin blanket to keep her warm. She softly cried as the pain in her back and backside continued to flare in agony.

Anne meditated on her white lie, and while it did not really hurt anyone and it did just slip out, she knew that her father even when he was known as Darth Vader, despised people who lied. She felt his anger and mostly his disappointment; she could only pray that this lesson did not involve a certain leather belt. However, she only received it that one time because she had been defiant and had lied. So maybe she would be lucky this time and she would only receive extra chores or grounded.

Anakin returned to find Anne completing some homework and she was already dressed for bed.

"Come here, young one." Anakin sat on the bed as Anne approached him with a bit of hesitation and shuffling her feet.

"It is not easy for me to punish you, Anne. I do love you and I am only trying to teach you right from wrong. Now I realize that the lie might have slipped out because you were nervous in front of the council. However, I have warned you in the past about eavesdropping, haven't I?"

"Yes."

"So this would count as your second offense, right?"

"Yes." Anne cried.

Anakin lifted up his daughter's chin and looked deeply into her eyes, "Now since you have admitted that you were caught previously, what do you suppose I should do?"

"Please, father, I'm sorry. Please don't whip me."

Anakin sighed, "I will do what I must. After school ends, you will come home straightaway."

Anne cried as she taken over her father's knee and felt the heavy impact of his hand. At least it wasn't the belt, but that didn't mean it still didn't hurt.

xXx

The next morning, Anne awoke to get ready for school, when she went downstairs to the kitchen, she announced herself, and "It's me! I'm not eavesdropping!" Anne called out to the kitchen.

"Anne, that wasn't necessary we felt the vibrations of your heavy footsteps in the hallway, not including the herd of banthas running upstairs." Luke laughed.

"Well, I just don't want to be accused." Anne smiled at her father.

"Get some breakfast and go to school, Anne Marie. And don't forget. . ."

"Yes I know come home right after school." Anne interrupted and immediately regretted it when her father sent her a warning look.

"I'm sorry." She gulped.

xXx

Sadie heard gentle footfalls on the steps and cringed as she saw her sister staring long and hard at her nakedness. "Oh, Sadie." Her sister approached her holding a large bowl of water and a soft cloth to clean her wounds. "Please tell Anne that I will be out of school for awhile and that I will miss her."

"I will, Sadie." Jo cleaned Sadie's wounds and after she finished she handed her sister a soft cotton dress that wouldn't exacerbate the wounds.

Anne was grateful she was able to walk to school, she still sensed her father's aggravation with her and really wasn't in the mood to talk to him this morning. When she arrived in class, she saw that Sadie's older sister, Jo was standing near the classroom.

"Anne?"

"Hi."

"Sadie wanted me to let you know that she's okay, but that she's fallen ill and will not be in class this week."

"Okay, I will take extra good notes in Galactic History, for our mid-term exam."

"Thank you, Anne. Sadie speaks very fondly of you and now I know why. Have a nice day."

"You too, Jo." Anne replied as she waved goodbye. Sadie was not ill at least not in the normal sense, Jo was lying, but Anne knew that if she disobeyed her father to go see Sadie that she will probably earn a punishment of Hutt proportions.

_**My dear constant readers, I appreciate your support and hope that you enjoyed this latest update to this tale. I do apologize that the updates haven't been as regular as they were in the past. Darth Gladiator45 PS none of the Star Wars canon characters belong to me and neither do I make any profit from this tale.  
**_


	21. Rescue Attempt

Anne knew that Sadie needed her, but she was also on restriction. "Kreth, what should I do?" Anne thought up a plan, she would go home and leave again. However, her father would definitely sense her departure. Sometimes having a previous Dark Lord of the Sith as a father was a real pain. He was too powerful and even if he didn't have the Force, he was still not one to trifle. Sometimes it is best to be direct. The only thing was that her father might decide to not be concerned and deny his daughter the ability to leave the house. Anne sighed and walked home. The house was very quiet; it seemed that everyone had left. She saw a note by a plate of cookies on the kitchen table. What a perfect opportunity! She grabbed a handful of cookies stuffed them in her knapsack and left a note of her own. "Father, I have gone to see Sadie, I am worried about her and since you were not home, I could not ask you directly. Love you, Anne."

Anne approached the large home and property and a feeling of unease crept into her heart, she felt the swirls of the Dark Side. She pulled her knapsack over her shoulder and attached her lightsaber to her belt. Anne also brought her black cloak, pulled the hood over her head, and cautiously walked forward. Sadie was currently huddled in a dark dank corner of the basement, crying. Her mother had reapplied her whip to her that morning, "Must keep these wounds fresh and bloody." She had said.

Sadie didn't reply, it was unexpected anyway, she just cried silently as the lashes rained again on her back and rear-end.

Anne pulled a tendril of Force energy to keep herself unseen as she approached the home. She heard and felt Sadie's pain as she walked to the basement window. Anne ignited purple blade and swiftly cut through the iron grating of the windows.

Sadie too tormented with pain to see and hear a purple lightsaber, crept deeper into the corner as she possibly could, to stay away. It was only when she felt two small hands on either side of her face gently easing the pain did she open her brown eyes.

"Ani?" the young girl whispered as her friend's fuzzy face swam into view.

"Shh, you are safe. I've come to get you out of here."

"You can't. . . my mother will kill you."

"Shh, not unless my father does it first; seems more likely." Anne smiled to indicate to her friend that she was merely joking. Sadie felt an odd strength that she hadn't experienced in days. "Come, be very quiet."

Anne hefted the young girl over her shoulders, pushed her through the window, and pulled herself, while a nary soul could spot them.

Velia felt a disturbance as she knelt before the pyramidal holocron, "Your daughter has escaped with a Jedi padawan." It hissed. Velia immediately pulled in the dark side and saw two young girls escaping into the woods. Enraged she pulled on her shoes and stormed out of the house. Anne felt a cold presence rapidly approaching; despite the speed she was putting into getting away, carrying Sadie was becoming cumbersome. "Let me go so you can get away, please."

"No, I will not!"

xXx

Anakin was holding a melon when he felt a sudden onrush of fear, unaware of what he was doing he crushed the melon in an instant, the juices, pulp and seeds spilling on to the ground and covering his gauntlet glove. "Milord?" Marie suddenly turned around, saw the look of anger, and fear emanating from his facial features. His eyes also turned a darker blue, nearly black.

"We must leave, now!" Anakin tossed a coin to the fruit vendor and hopped onboard a swoop bike.

"Mister!" the young punk screamed as he saw Anakin leap aboard and start the engine.

"Jedi business, I will return it!" Anakin immediately accelerated out of the crowded marketplace and watched as customers, vendors, others jumped out of his way, and those that were too slow found themselves pushed to the ground by an unknown source.

"Jedi business! That doesn't mean he has a right to steal your bike man!" the other punk lamented.

"What do you want to stop him?" the young kid pointedly asked. All his friends suddenly took a step back and shook their heads with an emphatic 'no.'

Anne cried as a dozen of Velia's minions surrounded her. She eased her friend to the ground and pulled her lightsaber off her belt.

"I've been trained to use this with deadly accuracy by Darth Vader; I suggest you let us go." Anne calmly told her would-be captors.

"You are brave, young one." Velia commented as she approached the scene.

"Wouldn't you know it? Now leave us." Anne replied as she put it into a Force Suggestion. Velia laughed that the padawan's attempt to manipulate another's mind.

"You are no doubt strong and I shall enjoy breaking you, more so than my daughter."

"You cannot break me, for if you so much lay a finger on me, you will have my father to deal with and believe me, he holds no mercy for people who would dare hurt the ones he loves, most particularly his children."

Velia laughed at the child and as she pulled her hatred of the Jedi into an evil glare and stared at padawan and watched as the young girl crumpled to the ground releasing her lightsaber. Anne cried out as she recalled all her abuse at the hands of Sidious and cowered before Velia and her cronies.

"Take her to the temple, along with her friend." Velia ordered as she smiled most evilly as the padawan continued to struggle and cry as the memories of the beatings by Sidious' hands continued to drum into her head. It seemed that Velia could summon the Force to torture by chagrin, forcing her victims to recall their most hated and disturbing memories repeatedly and even make them far worse than the original memories.

xXx

Anakin arrived at the sight in the woods where a seemingly confrontation took place and found his daughter's lightsaber hiding underneath some bushes. He called it to his hand and felt the memories attributed to Anne's disappearance, it seemed that Velia--Sadie's mother had something to do with this.

Anakin followed the path into the woods as the sun began to set; he had already informed Luke and the other Jedi of the kidnapping, communicating his urgency through the Force. He continued to track his daughters Force signature when it finally ended suddenly and he looked around clueless as to why this was. "Father." Luke came to him and saw the dark look in his father's eyes.

"We've questioned Velia and she is definitely hiding something, but refuses to state what happened to Sadie and Anne."

"I cannot feel Anne in the Force, something or someone is blocking me." Anakin stated as a tinge of anger swelled.

"It is getting dark we need to regroup and search again tomorrow." Anakin knew that Luke was giving sage advice, but he refused.

"No, get some rest son and I will inform you of my progress in the morning."

"Father, please you must get some rest and re-center yourself, I can feel your anger."

_**Author's Note: As you are aware, none of the canon characters belong to me nor does anything Star Wars. Thank you for your reviews and once again real-life has interfered with my ability to update this story on a regular basis.—Lady Gladiator45**_


	22. Dark Lord Rises Again

The memories of those same words came back to Anakin and to the person who last said them, "I can feel your anger, it gives you focus, makes you stronger." Darth Sidious said to him the same night he chose the Dark Side in an effort to save his beloved wife, Padmé.

xXx

Anne had her lightsaber and knapsack confiscated and she was thrown into a cell with Sadie. "Why are you here, Anne? I told you to stay away."

"Look, you are my friend; I couldn't allow you to die at your mother's hands."

"But you don't understand, she wants you to become her apprentice, she hates me because I'm not very powerful in the Force I can only do little things."

"Well, I'm already apprenticed to my father, Sadie."

Velia approached the cell and amazed to find how protective Anne was of Sadie, she stood in front of the child protecting her with her body.

"Why are you even bothering? She's unworthy of your protection, besides it is you I want, your strength in the Force is very great."

"You cannot have me, I will not submit."

"It matters not if you come willingly or not, I will have you." Velia grabbed Anne's arm and started dragging her out of the cell. Anne remembered Lady Traya's words and she wove a tight Force shield around herself and as she was dragged into the next room to be placed on a crude wooden rack to be given a beating. "Beat her well, my servant, within an inch of her life." The man grabbed the whip, Anne screamed as her flesh torn from her back, and she continued to weave a tighter shield around herself. Amazed, Velia attempted to gain access to Anne's mind to torture by chagrin, but for whatever reason it was not working, why it worked in the forest but not here. Velia soon realized because Anne was not expecting an assault. Velia lifted her hand to her servant as he lowered the whip and shouted in Anne's ear, "Damn fool child, I will have you killed if you do not obey me!"

"You would not dare, Velia, because if you do, you will have Darth Vader's wrath on your head and he doesn't take kindly to fools."

"Darth Vader is dead, everyone knows this."

"If you were half the Sith that you think you are, you would realize that treachery is the way of the Sith. He faked his own death."

"So what, you are nothing but a Jedi padawan, he kills Jedi."

"He also kills those that are playing with the Dark Side; he doesn't like any competition for his power."

Velia removed Anne from the restraints and dragged her to the cell with Sadie, who was huddled in a dark corner crying.

"I will deal with you later; we will see who's right."

Velia consulted the holocron and the suggestion it made was incredible, how could Velia banish a child to the netherworld of the Force?

Sadie cried as she saw her friends back torn by the lash of a whip, "Shh, don't cry, I'll have this healed in no time. At least my father isn't here to put a block on my healing abilities."

"He does that?"

"Yes, only when he has just finished spanking me, he wants me to remember why I've been punished and to suffer a bit."

"How often do you get it and why?"

"He hates it when people lie to him or attempt to lie and he also hates it when I disobey him or if I become too defiant.

"You are lucky, if I look at mom the wrong way she beats me." Sadie whispered.

"We will see how lucky I am when he comes to rescue me." Anne stated as she sighed deeply.

xXx

Anakin's search in the darkness of the forest was fruitless as he also continued to scan for Anne's signature. He sat beneath a large canopy of trees and decided to meditate to recover some of his strength and give his overly tired body a chance to rest. Luke arrived at dawn to see his father sitting underneath a tree mediating, the other Jedi gathered around as Luke slowly approached him.

"Father." Luke gently whispered as he laid his hand on his shoulder.

"Son, I see you have brought reinforcements, good planning."

Luke smiled and as Anakin stood the other Jedi surrounded him. The plan formulated and the Jedi Knights went into different directions in search of Anne.

xXx

Anne awoke the next morning to find herself bound to a chair, listening to the dark whisperings of the pyramidal Sith holocron. Anne pulled the Force around herself, but found for the first time unable. She cried as she saw Velia and her followers encircle her as they began their chant in Sithese.

Anakin felt the shroud of the Dark Side descend and knew immediately where Velia had taken Anne, he called to the other Jedi and they followed him to an abandoned temple. Luke and the other Jedi followed Anakin into the temple, as they followed him Anakin deactivated the various traps and snares. When they finally arrived in a dark throne room only to find Anne fading and then completely disappearing before their very eyes; Anakin, now fully enraged, lifted Velia off the ground in a Force choke and the air around the Jedi crackled with dark energy. "Father, no!" Luke pleaded as he saw his father's eyes shifted to a dark yellow with red highlights. Luke and the other Jedi pushed away from Anakin and flung to the four winds. Velia's cohorts immediately ran away from the scene, screaming.

Velia watched as the Jedi Master headed towards her and her throat tightened as he lifted her into the air. "Where is my daughter, what have you done!"

"You will never find her again, she has been sent to the far reaches of time."

Velia attempted the torture by chagrin on the Jedi before her, but he laughed, but it was a deeply sinister laugh. "You attempt this on me, girl? You are brave, if not rather stupid. Do you have any idea who I used to be?"

"Yes you are a foolish Jedi."

"You have no idea, Velia, but I shall tell you before you die. You will die a most painful and grievous death. Nobody comes between my family and me and can live to tell the tale."

Luke struggled to get up and saw his father still holding Velia in a chokehold as he was pumping her mind for information. Velia's skin and eyes were turning a dark gray as the life energy taken by his father's brutal interrogation.

"Father, please stop! This will not get Anne back to us."

"Son, stay out of this!" Anakin waved at Luke who went flying into the air once more, this time knocked out cold as his head hit the concrete wall, and he slumped into a fetal position.

"Now you wannabe Sith, let me tell you the truth before you die." Anakin brought his face to Velia's and looked into her eyes, "I am the Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Vader." Velia eyes grew large as a few tears escaped them.

"You are nothing at all." A sickening crunch echoed through the temple. Lord Vader pulled the Sith Holocron to him and closed it as he removed the Jedi entourage before leaving Chandrila for good.

xXx

Luke awoke near the temple surrounded by his Jedi friends, his father was gone, despite calling out to him and seeking for his Force presence, he found it lacking.

"Luke, where is Master Skywalker?"

"That's a real good question; I cannot feel him through the Force. Let us return to base." Luke and the other Jedi returned to the home to find Marie sobbing.

"Marie?"

"He has left to search for Anne; he says that he will not return until he finds her. These are the instructions he has left for you Luke and for the Jedi Council. Luke hugged the woman as she continued to sob. "He refused to take any of us, Luke; although he refused to lower his hood, I saw a pair of yellow eyes looking back at me. I also felt very cold in his presence." Mara stated.

Luke picked up the hologram messenger and switched it on, "Luke and Leia, my dearest children, all the hope of the Republic rests on your shoulders now. I am very proud of the both of you. You must know how much I care and love you both, even if I have never shared it or opened my arms to you. Han, I know you will take great care of my daughter, Leia; it is obvious to me how much you too love each other and take care of each other. Your love reminds me of the love I had for both Padmé and Marie. Marie, I swear upon my life, I will find Anne and even if we do not make it back in your time, I will always take care of her and treasure her. Luke, please see to Sadie's training, she is in Anne's old room recovering from her wounds and her psychological pain. That is all I have to say, except that I love you all and May the Force Be with You." The blue hologram flickered off and Luke sighed.

"Luke, where could he have gone?"

"I don't know, we cannot go looking for him, my father will find his way, and he always has."

"Has he become Lord Vader again?" Marie cried.

"I don't know, there is definitely a dark tint to him, but I don't believe he has fully succumbed."

**_Author's note: As you are probably are aware, my dear readers, that this tale is ending. I do not know if I will continue this as a part three yet, I'm contemplating but I do appreciate all your support and there will be an epilogue to wrap up things. Thanks again for reading this tale and for sticking with me during the long haul . . . Lady Gladiator45_**


	23. Epilogue

Anne tumbled, twisted, and turned through time and space and the thought of vomiting occurred more than once, but she was too busy trying to stop the darkest plunge she had every taken. When she landed on a black lava cliff, the wind knocked out of her. She took a few moments to stop her head from spinning and coughed again when she breathed in the heavy fumes of sulfur. The lava fields, the old Separatist outpost, and the clash of lightsabers, and Anne realized that she was on Mustafar. She followed the path to where a Jedi stood on the embankment and telling the man she recognized as her father, Lord Vader, "I have the high ground, don't try it."

"You underestimate my power!"

Anne knew that she had to react before her father, Lord Vader lost his remaining humanity. She felt that if he had not been cutoff from the Force by losing not only his limbs that he nor she would be a slave to Emperor Palpatine. Anne gathered the excess Force energy threw it in the direction of Obi-Wan and watched as he fell forward on the lava sand as Lord Vader leapt over him to deliver the killing blow. His lightsaber didn't connect and he landed so close to Anne that she fell backwards.

Obi-Wan stood on his feet to see his former apprentice standing over a youngling at least he thought she was a Jedi. She was dressed strangely but the black cloak was unmistakable.

"I will leave you my master; pray that I never see you again, for it will be the last your eyes will ever see."

Obi-Wan ran from the scene and boarded Nubian Star Skiff, leaving his former apprentice and the young girl behind. It was strange but he didn't sense that Anakin would bring harm to the girl.

Anne fainted when her father leapt in front of her, still seeing the blue glow of his lightsaber. Anakin owed her a debt of gratitude, she had saved him; he deactivated his lightsaber and hooked it on his belt. He gently picked her up into his arms and brushed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"I owe you my life, little one."

_**Author's Note: After much deliberating, I've decided to end the story here for now, I might eventually return to this tale, especially if I receive a ton of fan support for this tale. However, right now my well of ideas has run dry. Thank you to all my readers and supporters and know that another story is fore coming dealing in the realm of Luke and Darth Vader, but I had to end this one first. ---Darth Gladiator45**_


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